


Hot and Cold

by Musal



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:42:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 33,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29863797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musal/pseuds/Musal
Summary: In a world without the Promare, what has become of society? What has become of the planet? And what will become of the men who helped seal them away? (GaloxLio - may be changed to rating M later if I turn this into a story. Title of story may change.)
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For those who are not familiar with my writing style (which will be mostly everyone if you don't know what the anime/manga Black Cat), I'm going to explain a little how my style works:
> 
> Italicized means it is a character's thoughts. I will always be as clear as possible which character is thinking.
> 
> Bold means the word is emphasized, not shouted. Caps will mean it's shouted.
> 
> This is going to be my first time dipping my toe in another fandom and, not gonna lie, I'm a bit nervous since Black Cat is relatively unknown, so not a lot of people know about the show and seek out its fanfics (but those who have read mine seem to love them, so I guess I'm doing something right). Despite my anxiety, I recently watched this movie and fell head over heels in love with it and the Galo/Lio ship. Therefore, I decided to give it a try. I'm hoping I can turn this into a story. My chapters tend to be long, but this one is short (by my standards) because it's just the intro.
> 
> The story takes place after the movie ended (six months later) and what happened to the world without the Promare. Originally, I wrote this to be a oneshot, but as it was going I came up with a story about how the Promore's absence might actually affect the world in a negative way. The intro takes place mostly from Lio's POV. Future chapters will not rely solely on one characters thoughts. I don't want to give too many details in the A/N, so I'll stop explaining here. I'll let the story tell itself.
> 
> Lastly, all of my other stories are rated M and assuming that I turn this into a full length story, it will also most likely become rated M (for several reasons). So, please keep that in mind. If you are the type that does not want to read yaoi or graphic scenes, maybe don't get involved. They are in all my other stories since that is my style, but I want to give new readers a heads up. I will always give warnings at the top in my A/N for anything readers may be triggered by.
> 
> Old readers: Do not fret! I am still writing "A Different Fate"! I have the next chapter ready to go, just need to proof read it. I haven't spent all this time and energy on it to give it up and I have more Black Cat stories in mind for the future. I just really wanted to get this out of my head and hopefully get a story out of this other fandom and pairing I've fallen in love with.
> 
> Also, if I keep writing this story, my author's notes will become almost non-existent.
> 
> I really hope you enjoy (I write for myself, but I do also write in hopes someone out there will enjoy my stories with me :) )
> 
> Alright, that's enough gabber out of my mouthhole. Let's get the (hopefully) story started!
> 
> (Sidenote: Not sold on the title of the story yet. It may change.)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Promare or its characters.

Anime/Manga » Promare/プロメア » **Hot and Cold**  
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| Author: Musal |   
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| Rated: T - English - Romance/Adventure - Published: 03-05-21 - Updated: 03-05-21 | id:13834013  
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Disclaimer: I do not own Promare or its characters.

* * *

A comely, slim man leaned against a metal fence, an umbrella resting next to him to protect him for the inevitable weather change. The rapid and sudden change in climate had been a common phenomenon since the Promare departed their universe, and Lio couldn't help but think there was a connection between the two. The fact that he was freezing all the time added to that theory, since that too only started after they defeated the governor and sealed away their heated soulmates forever.

Lio sighed, crossed his arms against his slender chest, and squeezed his jacket tighter against his minikin frame.

_I shouldn't be this cold… It's July!_

Despite the sweltering summer day, he shivered and curled slightly into himself. When a contradicting and brisk gust of chilly air brushed against his pale skin he growled in frustration, tucking a strand of his light green hair behind his ear as he glared up at the uncertain sky. The scowl on his face turned into a worried frown as an overcast crept ominously along the formerly bright, cerulean sky. Lio knew the bleak clouds were a foreshadowing for the change in weather he had brought the umbrella for, and it did not sit well with the man's soul. Sighing, he looked back down and tapped the umbrella, reassuring himself he was ready for the oncoming storm.

_These weather changes can't be a good omen for the future. Something's wrong… I can feel it in my soul too. I'm… unsettled. Anxious. All the time._

Lio clutched his heart, instinctively reaching for his Promare soulmate, but was greeted with a bitter emptiness he had grown to detest instead. He fought back a desolate sigh and allowed his hand to fall listlessly at his side. Along with the strange and wavering weather patterns, his body was feeling the absence of the authoritative, yet soothing flame that once consumed his soul. He had learned to tame the fiery beast a long time ago, even managed to master it, and now he was missing it like a long lost friend.

_Like a part of me is missing and my heart aches to be whole once more. I feel like a bit of my soul was carved out from inside me… And there's nothing I can do to get it back._

Even though he knew they did the right thing by locking away their connection to the Promare, Lio couldn't help but feel like a part of him had been ripped unwillingly from his body. He played it off as nothing at the time, but mostly because he knew they didn't have luxury to sit and watch him writhe in his loneliness at the Promare's absence. The flaming vacancy he felt in his heart was something he was reminded of every day when he woke up in a cold sweat, dreaming the zoetic beings still inhabited his thin, lithe form. Losing them was a difficult transition and he wasn't sure if he was ever going to get used to their exodus.

_But maybe, I won't be feeling so lonely for much longer. If he'd just show the hell up, that is._

Lio checked his watch and sighed again, seeing that his companion was now twenty minutes late. It seemed to be a reoccurring theme with the other man, so he knew he should have been used to it. That didn't stop it from annoying him nonetheless. It was just common courtesy to let someone know when you were running late.

_Especially if the plans were_ _ **their**_ _idea in the first place. And they asked for those plans_ _ **six months**_ _ago. Would a phone call kill him?_

Lio made a frustrated noise and ran his hand through his yellow-green hair, feeling how cold his creamy skin felt when his fingers touched his forehead. The next set of shudders he made were able to distract him from his annoyed thoughts and brought him back to his lonesome ones.

The fact that he felt chilled again despite the oppressive summer calefaction that seemed to be quickly changing to a breezy storm concerned him immensely. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense that his inability to properly deal with the weather along with the interminable climate changes had something to do with the absence of the Promare.

_And I know I'm not the only one that's feeling the change both within themselves and in the climate. That's the fourth person I've seen walk by with a winter jacket. It's ninety-four degrees, we should_ _ **not**_ _be cold. And it shouldn't feel like it's about to sleet or rain any minute._

Lio looked up at the sky again and saw the clouds had built up even more. The once dominating and incessantly blazing sun now felt and looked like nothing more than a meek puppy seaking its owner's approval. That was something that had been happening far too often with the burning star and Lio wasn't sure why it hadn't become a bigger topic of conversation among society in the last six months.

_Probably because we don't really have the time to deal with it right now. Not that it_ _ **isn't**_ _a problem, just that we have bigger problems to deal with right now. Like making sure our citizens have somewhere to sleep and buildings don't keep falling apart and injuring people._

Since the battle with the governor, housing had been slim. There were temporary buildings placed throughout the city that were meant to act as housing for the citizens, but they weren't meant to be lived in for more than a couple of years. Now that they were coming up on half a year, Lio knew their city needed to pick up the pace of their cleaning if they wanted to make sure everyone was taken care of.

_I feel like we've gotten so much done, yet there's still so much to do. Will our work ever be done?_

His thoughts were cut short as he flinched a little when a droplet hit his face, making him growl and reach for his umbrella.

_I hate the rain…_

He cursed quietly under his breath when he tried to open the umbrella and noticed the latch was stuck. Lio leaned forward and tried to fix it since he knew it wouldn't remain open and protect him from the weather in the current condition it was in. A few more droplets fell and Lio could tell by their thick consistency it was **not** just rain.

_It's most definitely sleet which I hate even more! Where the hell is that guy? I'm about to leave._

As he felt more drops fall and he fumbled awkwardly with the umbrella, he felt something suddenly block their descent. Lio blinked, then looked up to see a much taller man standing next to him, umbrella hovering over his head as he smiled cheekily down at the short man.

"Having issues?"

Lio glared at Galo, having the urge to punch him and deciding to act on it. The green haired man pulled his meager fist back and hit the blue haired man square in the chest, making Galo clutch it dramatically and step back. Somehow, despite the unnecessary climatic stumble away from Lio, Galo managed to keep the umbrella above the petite man's head. Lio stood up straight and crossed his arms, looking away from the blue eyed man, but making sure he stayed under the sanctuary of the umbrella.

"Yeah, I have issues! My issues are **you** , like always!" He glared at the man over his shoulder as he spoke, but still kept his back to him.

Galo coughed a few times and rubbed his chest. "Man, you can really pack a punch for such a little guy!"

Lio hardened his glare on the man. "Shut up! Where the hell have you been?!"

Galo laughed a little, then coughed again, bent over as he responded to the pale man. "Sorry! There was another cat in a tree! And you know I can't say no to a cute face."

Lio felt himself blush lightly at the smirk Galo gave him, then looked away again before the firefighter noticed. "Whatever… Was it a kid again, or are you talking about the cat? Or was it another awestruck woman looking for an excuse to watch you sweat and climb up a tree?"

Galo blinked at the hint of resentment in his friend's voice, not sure if he was still angry at his tardiness, or something else. "Does it matter?"

Lio sighed and brushed Galo's words away. "No… No, it doesn't. Still, would it kill you to call?"

Galo's eyes widened and he stood up straight, patting his body down chaotically even though he was, as usually, not wearing much other than his giant firefighter pants. "That's actually a great question! SHIT! Where did I put it?!"

Lio flinched at the sleet every time the umbrella left the top of his head, but was impressed at the other man's ability to make sure it stayed where it was. He couldn't help but think the blue haired man was doing that on purpose and the idea of Galo going out of his way to keep him dry made him impossibly happy. He looked at his companion from the corner of his eyes and smiled warmly, the flame he was lacking from his heart returning as he watched Galo adorably search for his phone. Lio couldn't help but giggle a little, almost completely forgetting how lonely he felt moments ago.

_He really is cute… But I don't think I'll tell him that. It'll just go to his head. It's bad enough he's gotten his own little fanclub since the battle with the governor._

It became well known that he and Galo were the ones to stop the governor and break the connection their universe had with the Promore's, and there were mixed reactions all around. Half of humanity was furious to lose their connection to their flaming friends and blamed them entirely for the ordeal along with the destruction of their city, but the other half was eternally grateful and hailed them both as heroes. However, Lio couldn't help but notice Galo practically had a cult following that the green haired man was sure it wasn't just for his heroic actions to save humanity.

_It shouldn't bother me. Why do I let it bother me? Just because he has a fanclub doesn't mean he's going to run off with some random, starstruck devotee. Even if he wanted to, he doesn't have time for that. We're too busy rebuilding the city._

Lio felt the lost heat in his body grow as he watched the blue haired man continue to recklessly and dramatically struggle to find his phone on his nearly naked body. He could see Galo was slowly getting drenched in the heavy liquid that fell from the sky, pinning his unruly blue hair to the side of his face, the beads created by the storm clinging to his chiseled chest in an almost mocking tone.

Lio shook his head and tried to dismiss the warmth in his chest, even though he was desperate to have it back. He tried to look away from the man, but that only made matters worse since he saw a group of blushing women pass by and point at his blue-eyed companion. Lio felt his gratuitous irritation return and found himself slipping his jacket off to hand to Galo. Despite how cold he knew he would be, it bothered him more that people were ogling the other man.

_It's not like the jacket is doing much anyway. I'd rather be cold and annoyed than slightly warm and angry._

"Here, take this. You look freezing."

Galo had both his hands shoved deep into his pockets, slightly pushing his cartoonishly baggy pants down as he tilted his head in confusion at the other man. " **I** look freezing? You look like a popsicle!"

Lio blushed and threw the jacket at him. "Just shut up and take it, you idiot."

Galo jumped back slightly and caught the jacket, then leapt back over to make sure the umbrella was still over his friend's head. He frowned deeply and stepped closer so Lio would be protected more. "I'm not cold. The weather actually feels good after climbing that ginormous tree."

Lio narrowed his eyes at the man. "And getting gawked at by a group of women?"

Galo cocked an eyebrow. "What?"

Lio sighed and covered his face with one hand, using his annoyance with the other man as an excuse to cover up his blush. "Nothing… And I don't care how many trees you climbed today, you **must** be cold in this sudden change in weather. You clearly weren't dressed for the occasion, as usual. Just take it and be quiet. Your voice hurts my head."

Galo deepened his frown, then smirked as he stepped closer to the smaller man. "No it doesn't! You love it."

Lio widened his eyes behind his hand and smacked Galo's chest again. "Just put it on! Please."

Hearing the bit of grief in Lio's voice, the blue haired man grimaced and felt the need to comfort his companion. Galo moved himself so he was standing behind the short man, putting the coat around his own shoulders and then wrapping his arms around the blonde man's small waist. He made sure the umbrella continued shielding them both from the rain as he rested his head on Lio's shoulder.

"You can't hide that you're cold. I know you always are."

Lio felt his heart beat fast, the speed the muscle was moving surpassing the intensity of a hummingbird's flapping wings when he felt the other man's breath waft across his frigid cheek. The warmth he had been longing for returned the moment Galo wrapped his arms around his figure and he couldn't help but melt slightly into the embrace, the heat thawing his frigid soul. He felt his pulse pick up and his face turn a bright shade of red, but made no move to remove the other man's arms from his body. All the forlorn solitude he had been feeling disappeared in an instant the moment he felt Galo's strong arms surrounded him. Lio unknowingly leaned back into the man, shutting his eyes as he allowed himself to be engulfed by Galo's heat.

"Wh-what do you know about me?" Lio asked, trying to make his voice sound annoyed and not realizing how miserably he failed.

Galo smiled as if he had just won a contest and moved his head slightly so he could see the smaller man's face. "I know that you're starving. I can feel it in your stomach."

Lio blushed again when he heard his stomach grumble, embarrassed at being called out on experiencing such a humanistic trait. Despite the fact that he **was** human, he didn't like being caught exhibiting unflattering characteristics such as that. He felt conflicted as he stood in Galo's arms, wanting to push the man away for callously observing his uncomplimentary bodily function, but also feeling as though he needed the man's warmth more than anything else in the world. He felt as though if he pushed the man away now, he'd never regain the blaze in his soul.

_And I_ _**keep** _ _pushing him away. Every time he takes a step forward, I take a step back. Why do I put myself through this? Why do I want him to be close, yet continue to keep him at bay?_

He sighed and leaned further back into the man.

_Why can't I tell him he's replacing the fire my soul desperately pines for? What the hell is wrong with me?_

Lio frowned at the arms around him, but allowed them to remain where they were. "It's your fault I'm hungry. You had me waiting almost thirty minutes."

Galo sighed and buried his face in Lio's shoulders, not really noticing the goosebumps that resided on his silky skin. "I **told** you about the cat! How was I supposed to say no to saving a cat?! Especially since we both know the weather changes all the time now! Who knows what would have happened to it if I left it there?"

Lio stiffened when he felt Galo's face press into his flesh, then relaxed almost immediately when he felt the other man's lips gently brush lightly against his skin. "Wh-what did I say about your voice? It irks me. Where is this pizza place you've been **dying** to take me to? You brought it up six months ago, but I have yet to see it, which makes me think it doesn't exist."

Galo lifted his head up, much to Lio's displeasure and pointed an accusing finger at him. "HEY! It exists! And it's **amazing!** The man who runs it is even one of the ex-Burnish we saved six months ago!"

Lio fought back the urge to make the man press his head against his shoulder again and rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright, fine. I believe you. So are you going to take me there or not?"

Galo pulled his arms back and nodded his head. "Yes! LET'S GO!"

Lio held back a pathetic whimper at the absence of the other man's hands, but didn't have time to complain as Galo took his wrist and dragged him along. The blue-eyed man pulled Lio up next to him, wrapping the jacket back around the petite man as he hovered the umbrella mostly over the former Burnish's head. Again, Lio blushed at the kind gesture his companion seemed to unabashedly be showing him. The excitement of finally going on a date with Galo was getting the better of him and he subconsciously moved his limber fingers so they were loosely wrapped around the taller man's strong ones. Feeling self-conscious and aware their current encounter had never been labeled as a date, Lio pulled his hand back and shook his head.

_That's a ridiculous and stupid assumption. Stop being stupid. If you take up too much of the stupidity in the air, there won't be any left for Galo. Leave the stupid to him. It suits him better._

Lio sighed as they walked down the street, wrapping the jacket tighter around himself as the sleet came down even harder. He felt Galo wrap his arm around his shoulder and pull the smaller man closer to the muscular man's body, making his face turn an even brighter shade of red as the implications of their situation returned.

_**Is** _ _this a date…? I mean, I know he asked me to do this six months ago and we only just found the time for it now, but does that make it any lesson meaningful?_

He jumped a little when a bit of sleet hit his nose.

_The better question is, should I even be thinking about something as silly as a date during times like this?_

Lio glared up at the sleeting sky, then was thrust out of his thoughts when he felo Galo's arm tighten around him. He sighed peacefully and adjusted himself slightly against the firefighter, smiling as he thought of the day his companion man asked him to the celebratory meal.

" _Hey, Lio. Have you ever had brick oven pizza?"_

_Lio turned on the hill they were standing on and looked up at the man. "Brick oven pizza?"_

_Galo nodded and smirked at him, making the blonde man's heart skip a beat for some reason. "Yeah. Ever had it?"_

_Lio frowned. "What is it?"_

_Galo gave him an overly shocked look. "You've never even_ _ **heard**_ _of it?! What the hell kind of Burnish are you?! Are you sure you even were one in the first place?"_

_Lio glared at him and punched him in the chest. "How dare you question my Burnish authenticity! And what does hearing about a certain style of pizza have to do with my background?"_

_Galo laughed as he clutched the part of his chest Lio hit. "Only everything! It involves a fire in a brick oven! How is it possible you_ _ **haven't**_ _heard of it? Isn't fire like… your kink along with your powers or something?"_

_Lio smacked him again and pointed a finger in his face, trying to look as menacing as he could against someone who was over a foot taller than him. "I'd say that's racist, but Burnish isn't a race, so I'll just say that's biased and ignorant and I'm offended!"_

_Galo's smirk turned a bit more brash. "But am I wrong?"_

_Again, Lio felt his heart skip a beat, but wasn't sure why and decided to ignore the feeling in favor of glaring at the man. "Yes. You are wrong. In both the inappropriate comment about a fire kink and the comment about pizza. While I can tell this whole ordeal has opened up your mind about how the world works, you apparently still have a ways to go."_

_Galo's wide smile only grew as he leaned down and stared into the shorter man's face. "And are you going to continue being the one to open it?"_

_Lio felt himself blush at the other man's words along with the closeness of their faces. He could still feel Galo's scorching lips burning against his own from the kiss of life he gave the petite man. It was a feeling he didn't think he could ever forget, especially since he had never experienced such a heated sensation. The idea of that was unfathomable to Lio considering he always had an intense blaze ignited in him. He didn't know how it was possible for anything, let alone a man he felt like he just met, could create such a passionate feeling in him. Yet somehow, with just a simple kiss that was meant only to save his life, he did._

_Lio shook himself of the feeling and rolled his eyes at the man, trying to act smooth despite the expeditious, yet concerning thumping in his chest. "I don't know who else will. Seeing how blinded you were to the truth for so long, I worry that if I left you alone, some other political figure would come along and warp your mind yet again. Then we'd be back where we started."_

_Galo laughed and smacked Lio's back lightly. "I'd hate to see that happen, especially seeing how close we've gotten so quickly! I'd rather keep building that relationship than tearing it apart again. I really like your company."_

_Lio wasn't sure why he was blushing and thinking back to the kiss, but managed to hide it rather well. "What the hell is that supposed to mean…?"_

_He cursed the bit of anticipation in his voice._

_Galo smirked and winked down at the man. "It means what it means. And if we both don't understand, then only time will tell."_

_Lio really wished his face would return to its normal white hue, but it seemed as though his body betrayed him. "Are you saying you don't understand what your own vague words mean?"_

_Galo shrugged his shoulders and stretched his back. "Guess so."_

_Lio rolled his eyes again and turned back to the destroyed city. "Idiot…"_

_The blue haired man looked down at Lio, then asked a question. "Well?"_

_Lio looked up at him and frowned. "Well what?"_

_It was Galo's turn to roll his eyes. "Pretty sure I already asked you this. Do you want to get brick oven pizza when things have calmed down a bit?"_

_Lio sighed. "That is_ _ **not**_ _what you asked. You asked if I knew what it was. You did not ask me if I wanted some."_

_Galo sighed. "Why do you have to be so exact?!"_

_Lio glared up at him. "Because you insist on being so ambiguous!"_

_Galo threw his arms in the air. "Fine! Then I'm asking you now, point blank and bluntly: Do you want to get brick oven pizza, yes or no?"_

_Lio found himself getting flustered and was really annoyed with himself since he did_ _ **not**_ _do flustered. "Don't you think we have enough work to do right now?"_

_Galo made a fake whimpering sound. "Are you saying getting pizza with me is work?"_

_The blonde man rested his face in his hands, trying to cover up the fact that he was snickering at the man's puppy dog eyes. "Yes. Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."_

_Galo jumped in front of him and pinched both his cheeks at the same time, getting the smaller man's eyes back on him. "Why do I doubt that's true?"_

_Lio's eyes widened and his face grew exceedingly hot as he looked into the other man's blue eyes. Now that they weren't fighting with each other or fighting alongside each other, he was finally able to notice how adorable the larger man was. The heat in his chest was a tingle he wasn't used to, which was strange since he was used to always being encompassed by heat, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. He brushed it off as simply trusting the man and decided not to think too much into it._

_Lio smiled as best he could behind his pinched cheeks. "After we do some clean up?"_

_Galo nodded, then moved his hands from the smaller man's cheeks to his chin. "After we do some clean up."_

_Lio felt his body wanting nothing more than to move his face closer to the other man and subconsciously found himself doing that. He even shut his eyes and prepared himself to make contact with the other man's lips, but stumbled forward when Galo let go and stepped away. Lio blinked in confusion, then watched as the blue haired man walked away from him and down the hill. Lio clutched his chest firmly, staring at the other man's back longingly as Galo's frame slowly disappeared into the ruins that was once their home._

Lio smiled fondly at the memory, then widened his eyes as he tripped on an uneven part of the sidewalk. Luckily, Galo still had his arm around him, so he was able to prevent himself from falling forward.

"Whoa! Careful there, Bud! You need to pay closer attention before you bust your face open. We're not done fixing up the town yet, remember?"

Lio sighed and stood himself up straight, no matter how much he wanted Galo to do it for him. He was a proud person and wasn't about to let someone else help him do a simple task every adult should be able to do. "Of course I remember. I'm the one that said it was too soon to do this. **You're** the one that **insisted**."

Galo rolled his eyes. "I didn't hear you fighting it too hard. You know you wanted to go out!"

Lio blushed and looked stubbornly away from the man. "You have no proof of that."

Galo laughed loudly. "I think I have plenty!"

Lio turned and glared at him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Galo continued laughing wildly and pinched his cheek. "If I figure it out, I'll let you know."

Lio blushed again, happy the warmth grew every time the other man touched him. "And once again, you don't understand your own ambiguous words…"

Galo chuckled. "Or you're just being too exact again."

Lio smiled. "No. You're being vague."

Galo shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I am."

Lio continued to glance at him from the corner of his eye, allowing a few seconds of silence to pass before he asked a question. "Hey… Galo?"

"Hm?" The taller man said as he stepped over a large crack in the sidewalk, his arm not leaving the other man and the umbrella only swaying away for a second.

"Why…" Lio paused, trying to think of the best way to form his sentence. "Why… Did you want to bring me on a…"

_I can't say a date. It was never explicitly stated that this was a date and I'm not going to be the one to use that word first. I won't make a fool of myself that easily._

He took a deep breath and rephrased his question. "Why did you want to get pizza with me?"

Galo blinked down at the other man, then looked up thoughtfully. "Well… first of all pizza is delicious and second, we've been working hard on rebuilding the city, so I think we deserve a break. Third, I want to support a business that was actually able to get itself back on its feet and fourth…" He grinned infectiously down at the short man. "I wanted to spend some time with you."

Lio's eyes widened again and he looked away quickly. "W-we've been together non-stop. That's not enough time together for you?"

Galo frowned playfully. "Are you saying you're sick of me?"

Lio heard the teasing tone in his companions voice, but also knew there was a bit of sadness behind it.

_Why do I have to keep pushing him away? I know that's not what I want…_

Almost immediately after their final battle, Lio knew his feelings for Galo were more than just friendly. After Galo gave him the kiss of life, he knew that he trusted the other man which was why he didn't feel the need to cover up his body when they ran away together. At the time, he was brushing it off as nothing more than trust and friendship, but he quickly learned that it was much more than that. And he couldn't help but hold onto the hope that Galo felt the same way.

_He hasn't let go of the idea of getting pizza together. He brings it up every day as if to remind me that I agreed to go with him. Like he thinks I'm going to forget or something. How could I forget? I've been looking forward to this just as much as he has if not more._

The last six months had been full of exhaustion, stress, and work. They agreed to team up again and work on rebuilding the city together, so they spent pretty much every waking minute with one another. Since it was well known that they were the ones to stop the world from literally exploding, they were given more duties than others because they had already proven they were capable of more than the average person. Neither of them minded the work and Lio was pretty sure they both would have sought out more if they weren't given enough, but cleaning up the city took up most of their time. Their constant lack of free time made it impossible for them to explore anything that may have been residing in their hearts for one another, and Lio was positive there was something powerful in his burning for the other man.

_And the way Galo acts, I can't help but hope it's the same with him. It's hard to gauge since he's pretty flirtatious with everyone and a very outgoing person, but I'm the only one he's asked to have a meal with alone. I'm also the one he chose to stay with at the temporary living home._

Millions of people were left homeless after the battle with the governor, and the temporary housing buildings were hastily created so they weren't built to last. People were encouraged to share spaces to make sure there was enough room for everyone, but the rooms were small so even the biggest rooms provided didn't leave much space for a small family. Galo volunteered them both to take one of the smallest rooms to share before Lio could even process the information they were begging given. It shocked the former Burnish how willingly and readily Galo offered themselves to live uncomfortably so others could be complacent and it only made his feelings for the other man grow.

_It's especially shocking since I know he has friends outside of me that he's known longer. Why didn't he want to share a room with one of them? Aina made it clear she would share with him, but he turned her down in favor of staying with me._

Lio smiled reverently at the memory. He used it often as proof to himself that Galo felt more than just friendly feelings for him since Aina was a very attractive woman he had known for quite a while and she clearly had feelings for him, yet he still chose to stay with Lio. When he questioned Galo on it, the firefighter shrugged his shoulders and said what he always said.

" _I like your company. So, I just want to spend some time with you."_

The pleasurable warmth he had grown accustomed to appearing whenever Galo was around enveloped his entire body again and he made sure the other man could not see the tranquil smile on his face. Galo said that to him often whenever he asked why he went out of his way to work with Lio, and it never failed to set his heart on fire, leaving him with the reminiscent sensation he experienced when the Promare were a part of his soul.

_I wonder what will happen when there's more housing and we're permitted to live in our own spaces? I know that will take quite a while, possibly years for it to happen and Galo will turn down any early offers we get to live on our own because he'll want to leave those spaces for other people. Still… I can't help but think what will become of us then._

Living with Galo was supposed to be a temporary matter until enough housing was built. When that happened, they could live in a more permanent residence. Lio was worried that meant they wouldn't be in the same room let alone building anymore, which he did not approve. Despite sleeping in separate beds, Lio was enjoying life just by being in the same room as Galo, and he didn't like to think about what would happen when they were able to live on their own.

_There was even one point when we accidentally fell asleep in the same bed, but it was far too quick for my taste._

When that happened, Lio realized that Galo must have woken up during the night and crawled into his own bed. Just when Lio thought they were going to potentially evolve their relationship, the blue-eyed dreamboat pulled back at the last minute like he always did and kept things where they were. It pained him to wake up alone, especially since he was so excited when he looked over and saw Galo was sleeping next to him, but he knew the hesitancy in their relationship was his own fault. He kept pulling the man closer, then pushed him away almost immediately afterwards.

_I keep giving him giant hints that I want more, then I pull back at the last minute or push him away by saying something harsh._

He whimpered longingly as he glanced up at the other man.

_I need to stop doing that if I want more from him…_

Lio took a deep breath to prepare himself to say something at least somewhat nice to the man of his dreams. "No… No I'm not sick of you…" Wanting to tease the man, he added one more word to his statement. "...Yet."

Galo pulled his arm away from Lio and grabbed his chest dramatically, nearly falling over from the trivial compliment. "Has the great Lio graced me with his praise?!"

Lio giggled and rolled his eyes.

_He really is cute. Maybe I_ _ **should**_ _tell him that..._

Lio smiled playfully, making sure Galo didn't see the look on his face even though he was sure the adoring tone in his voice betrayed him. "You'll know when I grace you with anything…"

Galo blinked in shock at the man, then shook his head in disbelief. "You baffle me sometimes…"

Lio smirked up at him, then moved his body a little closer to avoid more of the sleet that was still falling. The blonde man assumed Galo was confused at his comment because while did often subtly flirt with him like that, he would always inevitably pull back. Lio felt bad since he knew he made it nearly impossible to read what he actually wanted from Galo, which he hoped was the reason why the blue haired man hadn't made any obvious moves to advance their relationship.

_It's hard to keep him close with everything going on in my head. It's been such a struggle with the lack of Promare in my soul. I feel so… empty._

His emptiness caused him to feel depressed which resulted in mood swings and high levels of anxiety. He knew he wasn't alone in his misery as well. A lot of the former Burnish were having a difficult time adjusting to the change in their souls, and he witnessed many instances when it looked as though a switch had been flipped in an ex-Burnishes head and they went from calm and kind to irate and troubled. And Lio was just one of the worst.

_Probably because I was one of the people who was closest to their Promare and had the most control over it. Despite holding back the true anger and resentment I feel without it, it's been the hardest for me to transition to their absence. That's why I keep pushing Galo away… I don't want to accidentally hurt him._

The last thing Lio wanted to do was get close to the man only to chase him away because he said or did something that hurt him. The way he saw it, it was better to never have Galo, than to have him and lose him. The idea of hurting the blue haired beauty was the worst possible scenario he could think of. Even worse than never having him in the first place.

_Or watching him fall for someone else. I know Aina has been trying to make her presence known. So far he's either been oblivious to her advances or ignoring them, but either way if I don't get over my personal drama soon, it could be too late._

Lio took another deep breath and responded to the man, trying to continue with his earlier flirting to hopefully let the other man know that despite his fears, he still wanted Galo. "What is it that you always say to me? You know you love it."

Galo looked at the shorter man from the corner of his eye and smirked. "You know me too well. Maybe we are spending too much time together."

Lio gave him an offended look as they jumped over a puddle together. "Oh? So are you admitting that **you're** getting sick of **me**?"

Galo chuckled quietly. "Never."

Lio blushed foolishly, but smiled sweetly.

_If I keep on this path, maybe I can keep giving him the right signals and he'll finally make a move._

Lio was aware **he** could be the one to make the move, but his inner angst constantly stopped him from doing anything. He tried once to crawl into the bed with Galo with the excuse of being cold, but ended up just staring wistfully at the other man all night. And then eventually he fell asleep, failing in his endeavors to make his feelings known, and he hadn't found the courage to repeat his actions since. Ever since that night, he decided to just hang on to the hope that Galo would be able to read his troubled mind and do something to progress their already complicated relationship. To give them a definition that was more concrete than friends and roommates.

_While I find it impossible for me to make the move on my own, I know I would never turn down his advances. That's why I haven't removed his hands from my shoulders despite the fact that he's soaking wet and making me colder._

Lio snuggled a little closer to the man even though Galo felt almost as cold as he did.

_Why do things have to be so complicated? Our relationship is perplexing not to just us, but to everyone else._

Lio knew Galo's friends had been giving them looks, but he didn't think they were questioning the blue eyed man as much as the green haired man's friends were questioning him. Lio felt like if he wasn't cleaning up the city or vying for Galo's affections, he was answering questions from Gueira or Meis. They both knew their 'boss' well enough to know there was something troubling him, and they knew it wasn't just the lack of the Promare in their systems.

_They're going through the same withdrawals I am, but they can tell there's something more going on with me. And they're clever enough and know me well enough to be able to tell it has something to do with Galo._

It was no surprise to the people that were closest to him were able to see his obvious feelings for Galo were. That made it all the more frustrating that he couldn't say anything to the other man and that Galo didn't seem to understand what was going on. Everyone else around them could see what was happening between them, yet somehow Galo remained blissfully unaware or chose to stay ignorant to his companion's inner turmoils.

_I'd like to think he knows to an extent what I'm feeling and just doesn't know how to respond since my affections often negate themselves, but I can't help but wonder if I'm thinking too much into his actions and words… I mean, he's a pretty blunt person. If he felt something for me, wouldn't he have said or done something by now?_

That was another factor that made Lio so hesitant to make his feelings more clear. He knew what he felt for Galo was strong. So strong that it was nearly impossible to contain his emotions and the fact that Galo seemed so woefully unprepared to deal with them made Lio question if his desperation to be with the other man had driven him to read signs that weren't there. Even now as they walked down the street together, appearing very much like a couple, Lio thought back to all the times he saw Galo getting a bit too cosy with Aina as well.

_It could just be who he is as a person… He could just be very physical with everyone he cares about. And maybe he just wants to take me out to a meal in the middle of cleaning up because we need a break. He said that himself just moments ago._

Lio tried to comfort himself by saying Galo also said on several occasions he wanted to spend time with him and enjoyed his company, but he shook his head to stop himself from falling down that rabbit hole again. He sighed painfully, then shivered from the chill traveling down his spine. He always ended up talking himself in circles whenever he thought about Galo's feelings towards him and he didn't want that to happen today. He really just wanted to enjoy whatever non-working time he could get with Galo.

He blushed a little when Galo pulled him closer, knowing the blue haired man was reacting to the trembles his body was still experiencing.

_Outside looking in we_ _ **do**_ _look like a couple. We act like one too. And he's far more physical with me than anyone else… Despite the fact that he does still get touchy with Aina._

Throwing his perplexing feelings aside, Lio looked up at Galo and decided to ask a question unrelated to their previous conversation. "Am I correct in assuming you did not find your phone?"

Galo frowned and shook his head. "No. I swear that cat took it."

Lio chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "The **cat** took it…?"

Galo nodded confidently, as if his logic was flawless. "Yes. The cat took it. I saw it in her eyes! She didn't want to be rescued! She wanted to live the rest of her life carefree hidden in that tree! And I don't blame her since her family was **insane**! She probably resented me for returning her to them and wanted revenge."

Lio couldn't help the unflattering laugh that left his lips. "You really believe that to be true, don't you?"

The blue eyed man smirked and continued nodding his head assuredly. "Yes. Absolutely that happened. Without a doubt, that's where my phone is."

Lio glanced down at Galo's shoes, noticing the device sticking out of his boot and rolled his eyes. He bent down and grabbed it, then tossed it at the man's face. "You sure you didn't just put it in your boot because you knew I'd fall out of your pocket when you were climbing the tree?"

Galo yelped slightly and fumbled with his phone in the air, desperate not to let it fall in a puddle. He blinked at the device, then glared at it as if it had affronted him somehow. "...She planted it there."

Lio face palmed. "The cat?"

Galo nodded with conviction. "Yes. The cat. She's the worst. She scratched me, you know!"

Lio sighed. "Oh, did she?"

Galo pouted down at him. "Yes, she did. See?!"

Lio leaned closer to the man, having to stand on the tip of his toes to reach Galo's face to see the very faint scratch hat was on his cheek. He squinted, sure the blush on his face was evident as he rolled his eyes at the tiny mark. "I know first hand you've experienced worse."

Galo's pout did not leave his face as he spoke. "But I've never been harmed by an **animal** before. I love animals…"

Lio made an annoyed sound, then instinctively kissed the other man's cheek and pulled away. As soon as he did, he realized what he had done and froze in Galo's arms. They even stopped walking as the blue haired man blinked down in confusion at him, as if he was trying to process out what just happened.

"Did… Did you just-"

Lio grabbed his wrist and kept walking in the direction he assumed was correct. "-How much further is this place?"

Lio could tell by the way Galo's voice shook, he wasn't sure why they weren't having a discussion about the kiss, but didn't have time to ask since the petite man began dragging them in the wrong direction. Galo stopped and pulled his arm back, taking the smaller man with him as they turned around.

"If we go that way, it'll take another twenty minutes. If we go the **correct** way, it's just around the corner."

Lio willingly followed the man, but dragged behind a little since he was embarrassed at his impulsive action.

_What the hell is wrong with me?! I know I said I needed to be more clear, but that was a bit much. ...Wasn't it?_

He tried to see what Galo's face looked like to gauge his reaction, but the umbrella was blocking his view. Lio sighed and lowered his head, praying he didn't just blow his shot. After a few more minutes of walking in awkward silence, at least for Lio it was, Galo seemed to be his normal happy-go-lucky self which gave the ex-Burnish hope that he was in the clear, they finally stopped their journey to food.

"We're here!"

Galo's sudden stop caused him to crash into the other man and he pushed himself off quickly before he had another slip up. Lio rubbed his face and looked at the shop, tilting his head slightly at the broken building in front of him. "This is it?"

Galo frowned down at him. "Why do you sound so **un** impressed?"

Lio stepped up next to the man. "Because I am. I thought you said he rebuilt the business?"

Galo shook his head. "I didn't say he **rebuilt** it, I said he **runs** it. Do you really think he could have rebuilt a brick oven pizzeria **that** quickly? You know better than anyone else that places like this are last on the list to be rebuilt. Or do you need to be reminded of the recovery plan **you** created Mr. Soon-To-Be-Governor?"

Lio allowed a tired sigh to escape his thin lips. "I told you I don't know if I want to be the governor. Why do you insist on continuing to bring it up?"

Galo smirked, wrapped his arms around the other man's neck, and gave him a noogie. "Because I figured if I bug you enough about it, you'll actually go through with it!"

Lio felt his face turn an even brighter shade of red as it was pressed against the other man's bare chest. He was flustered enough not to care or notice that the gesture Galo caught him in caused the umbrella to stop protecting them from the sleet that had slowly turned into rain. He did not pull himself free, not just because he didn't want to, but also because he was too mystified by the embrace too.

"Wh-what makes you think **you** of all people will be able to convince me? Why would I **ever** listen to an impulsive idiot like you?" Lio knew his voice was quaking with his repressed feelings and wasn't sure if he wanted Galo to read what he was really thinking.

_I don't know how he'll react to my true thoughts, but I'm also having a hard time having true thoughts with his body so close to my face!_

Galo laughed loudly and finally let the man's neck go. "Because you like me."

Lio blushed brightly, then looked away quickly and folded his arms against his chest. "Th-think what you like, it'll take more than the words of an idiot to convince me to run for office."

Galo put an arm around his shoulder and smiled cheekily down at him. "You know you'd win. Everyone wants you to. It's become pretty unanimous among ex-Burnish and never-Burnish alike!"

Lio gave him a strange look. " **Never** -Burnish?"

Galo frowned. "Yeah, the people who were never Burnish. Shut up! It's a thing people say! And if it's not, then it will become a thing. I'll make it happen!

Lio chuckled and rolled his eyes, then allowed the man to pull him back to his body again, enjoying the contact despite how embarrassed he was at his constant stuttering and all around uncharming behavior whenever Galo touched him. He glanced up and melted at the audacious smile the taller man was giving him, even feeling his knees buckle slightly at the sight. Lio wasn't sure how Galo was able to make him swoon with just a simple change in the structure of his lips, but every time his blue eyed fancy gave him that look, he found himself caving in to his every desire.

_Damn him! Who gave him the right to be so cute? With just one flash of his eyes and spark of his smirk, I'm reduced to a schoolgirl with a crush. A melting glacier in his arms… It's such an unsightly image for a man who almost burnt the world._

"Y-You know not **everyone** is on my side. There are just as many people against me running for officer as there are for it. We both have our supporters and our antagonizers alike and those that blame us for the incident are far more vocal. I really don't think I should be putting my name in the hat. Especially not after the stunt you stopped me from pulling."

_He saved me back then… He saved me in more ways than he knows._

Galo sighed and glanced at the side of the pizzeria, noticing a poster of Lio with a very unflattering face drawn over it getting soaked in the rain. He decided no to point it out to the other man and let mother nature take its course on the rude image. "That's where I come in! Everyone knows I'd make a lousy politician, but less people blame me than you. If you have my support, I'm sure that will sway some of those people!"

Lio sighed in exhaustion. "Or it'll turn more people against you…"

_And that's the last thing I want…_

Galo frowned down at the man's defeated demeanor. He had noticed his companion had been more downtrodden lately, but he would never tell him why. No matter how much Galo bugged him about it, and he bugged him a lot, Lio always shut down, refused to talk about it, or changed the subject completely. Still, Galo's firefighter spirit wasn't going to burn out that easily. He was going to be there for the ex-Burnish no matter what.

Galo leaned forward and stared at Lio's face, putting his own only inches from the short man's since that always seemed to get his attention. Once their eyes locked, the blue haired man smiled, unaware that half of it was covered by his long, azure locks but seeing it had the desired effect anyway since Lio's normally pale face had a pretty pink tint to it.

"Could you at least think about it some more before you make such a half-assed decision? I can hear the indecisiveness in your voice and that means you aren't decided yet. Just because the Promare are gone doesn't mean the fiery passion of the Burnish left your soul. Don't let that flame die all for the sake of having a safe face in society or worrying about mine! We need someone with a flaming compassion and spirit like yours now more than ever! Don't throw in the towel yet!"

Lio's heart nearly exploded out of his chest not only at the close proximity of their lips, but at the other man's words.

_How can he possibly know exactly what to say to make me feel better even when he doesn't know what's wrong?_

The petite man felt himself twitching under Galo's intense gaze. He tried to think of something that would properly protest his words, but came up blank. The conviction and determination in Galo's face and words were too much for him to bear. The violent pounding in his chest, the scorching fervor in his soul made him feel like jumping in the blue man's arms and confessing his undying love for him.

_Control yourself. No reason to make a fool of yourself just yet. Wait, just yet? Don't_ _ **ever**_ _make a fool of yourself! Especially in front of someone as strong and passionate as Galo!_

Lio whimpered a little from longing as his eyes stayed glued on the man. The zealous smile and the tenacious gleam in Galo's eyes was beginning to take over his heart, mind, and soul and Lio found himself lost in the other man's gaze. Before he knew it, he felt himself nodding his head in agreement, the fire in his soul gaining strength once more as he returned Galo's resolute smile. "I'll keep thinking about it."

_And I won't give up yet. As long as_ _ **he**_ _still believes in me, then I can believe in myself._

Galo's smirk widened and he patted Lio's back so roughly he accidently pushed the man forward slightly. "That's the fire burning spirit I've grown attached to! Now, come on! I'm starving!"

Lio once again allowed Galo to pull him along to the outdoor window he assumed they would be placing their order. He frowned as they stood in line. "Is this outdoor only seating?"

Galo nodded his head. "Yes. The indoor isn't finished. It's just the oven and the cook."

Lio shivered again. "It better come out piping hot or else someone's going to feel my burning wrath…"

Galo laughed at the short man's words. "Man, I really must have lit a fire under your ass! I haven't heard you talk like that in a while!"

Lio smirked up at him. "It never left. The damn July cold air just stifled it for a second."

Galo frowned and looked up at the sky. "Yeah… I've been meaning to ask you your opinion about that. What do you think is going on?"

Lio followed the man's gaze. "It might be the absence of the Promare… I can't say for sure since I have no proof nor any idea why their disappearance would cause climate change, but I can't think of anything else it would be. Not to mention the timing is too perfect. It started to happen almost immediately after we broke our connection. It could be why we're experiencing such rapid changes in weather and the animals are starting to disappear."

Galo sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, closing his umbrella as the rain had stopped suddenly. "Do you think it's something we should be concerned about?"

Lio squinted as the clouds quickly dispersed and the sun made its torrid comeback. "Yes. I think we should. But…" He turned around and looked at the ruins of the city, wincing when he noticed a building across the stress crumbled a little under its own rotting weight. "...We don't have time for that right now. We need to make sure we rebuild as quickly as possible so we can have security and housing first. We can't deal with something as distracting and dangerous as weather changes when a lot of people still don't have a place to sleep. Until everyone has a home and we're back to at least **some** normalcy, we can't stop working and we can't stop rebuilding."

_Especially with how many buildings continue to fall every day. We need to fix our infrastructure and make sure everyone is safe so that way if an ungodly storm were to occur, we'd be comforted in knowing we're at least safe from that._

Galo smiled warmly at the other man's back, happy to hear more of his old self resurface. "Spoken like a man who's ready to run the city."

Lio rolled his eyes and turned back around to face Galo, arms still crossed against his chest in an attempt to keep him warm despite the normal summer weather returning. "Shut up and move forward. It's our turn to order."

Galo jumped around quickly, then leapt forward to the counter, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from the people around him. He smirked at the familiar face behind the counter, the cook's dark skin glistening only slightly from the sweat of the oven burning brightly behind him. Galo had a feeling the pizza man probably should have been sweating far more than he was, but considering he was a former burnish, he probably felt comfortable being so close to the brick oven's flames.

The pizza man smiled and greeted Galo enthusiastically. "Hey! If it isn't my favorite firefighter! What can I get you?"

Galo put up two fingers as he leaned on the counter. "Two of the usual for me and my partner."

Lio blinked at the title he used.

_Partner? Not friend or companion? Or even roommate? That… sounds a bit more intimate than what I was thinking he saw our relationship as._

Lio smiled slightly, then took a step forward. He was immediately greeted with the warmth of the oven behind the counter and smiled serenely at the feel. He shut his eyes and took another step forward, finding the flames bursting through the restaurant almost as welcoming as he found Galo's embrace to be.

_So warm…_

He stopped when he walked into Galo's back, then rubbed his nose and cursed under his breath. Galo turned and looked down at him, frowning slightly as he did so. "What wrong?"

Lio glared at his back. "You're in the way."

Galo cocked an eyebrow at him. "In the way of what?"

Lio sighed wistfully. "The warmth…"

Galo blinked at him for a few seconds, then smirked at the satisfied look Lio had plastered on his pretty face. He turned back around to the Pizza Burnish, leaning slightly into the window so he could be heard over the roaring fire, ignoring how hot he felt even from the distance he was standing. His feet were hanging slightly off the ground as he spoke to the man currently making their order.

"Hey, my man! Can Lio come back there and warm up? He's freezing out here!"

The Pizza Burnish turned around and smiled at him. "Lio is **always** welcomed to come and warm up back here! This city owes you both a debt of gratitude."

Galo nodded, then slipped out of the window, turned around quickly, and approached his friend. Lio blinked at him in confusion, then yelped in surprise as Galo lifted him up and onto his shoulders. The blush on his face was bright enough for the Heavens to see and he was grateful Galo's face wasn't pointed at him.

"HEY! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

Galo's smirk never felt his lips. "What's it look like I'm doing? I'm helping you warm up!"

Lio frowned and noticed where the other man was taking him, then widened his eyes. "ARE YOU GOING TO THROW ME INTO THE FIRE!?"

Galo snickered sinisterly and patted the man's leg. "Shh, don't worry. It'll all be over soon..."

Lio struggled a little even though he knew Galo **must** have been joking. However, the part of him that knew the blue eyed man was a bit of an idiot wouldn't put it past him to think a former Burnish was incapable of catching fire. He did make a comment six months ago about believing fire was his kink, how far off was it really for the moron to believe Lio wouldn't burn in an oven?

Lio grunted as he tried to pull himself free. "You know I **can** catch fire, right?!"

Galo stopped suddenly, his voice full of jest as he questioned the man's logic. "You can?"

Lio screamed. "OF COURSE I CAN, YOU IDIOT! I'M A HUMAN, REMEMBER?!"

Galo shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well. You've lived a good life."

Lio glared down at him, now sure he was kidding, but angry at the man for being so forceful with him. As much as he enjoyed being in Galo's arms, that was a bit much. However, when he was finally set down, Lio felt his chilled bones and icy skin thaw at the heat in the room. He shut his eyes and stepped closer to the fire, allowing his instincts to take over once again as he made his way towards the oven. When he took a few more steps forward, he felt his knees give out from underneath him, then two strong arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him away from the forbidden burning treasure.

"Whoa there, Bud! Getting a bit too close, aren't cha?"

Lio blinked his eyes opened and noticed he was back in Galo's arms. He frowned and looked longingly back at the oven. "Sorry… It's just… so warm… so inviting…"

Galo smiled sweetly down at him, then turned back to the pizza man. "Hey, can we eat back here? I can tell my partner likes the scenery."

The man nodded his head and gave him a two finger salute. "Perfect timing too! It's ready right now. Piping hot!"

Galo nodded his head. "Good! That's exactly what he wanted."

Lio couldn't help but smile up at Galo, enjoying the view of the taller man's handsome features illuminating slightly from the flames inside of the oven. The close proximity of their bodies combined with the gentle light emitting from the fire accidented Galo's face, allowing Lio to fully appreciate how amazing the man truly was. The heat he felt in his chest combined with the soothing warmth from the room gave Lio one of the most gratifying sensations he had ever experienced. He couldn't help but feel a bit of romance spark between them when Galo looked down at him, the succulent smile on his face only adding to the inferno blazing recklessly through the rest of his body.

_I should just tell him how cute he is right now. The mood is set too perfectly._

Lio smiled and dug down deep to keep himself from flattering in his words. "Hey, Galo… Have I ever told you that-"

"-Here you go!"

His words were cut off as the pizza man placed their meal on a small table Lio hadn't seen before. He didn't know if it had been placed there specifically for them, but judging by the lack of space in the room, he had a feeling it had been. There was barely enough space for the man to cook let alone for people to eat in. The restaurant didn't even have a door, so it baffled Lio how he was able to not only obtain a table, but place it next to him when he wasn't paying attention.

_Galo distracts me too much. What else did I miss?_

He looked around the room to see if anything else had been changed, but jumped slightly when Galo pushed him in the chair.

The blue man laughed heartily and slid Lio's chair in. "You look like you just saw a ghost. Hey, Pizza Guy! Is this place haunted?"

The pizza man frowned and thought about it, apparently not caring Galo clearly didn't know his name. "No… No, I don't think it is. Then again, I don't know much about this place other than it was hastily built so we could have some form of normalcy with pizza again, so I guess I really don't know."

Lio blinked at the man. "You're taking his question **seriously**?"

The pizza man frowned in confusion at him. "Yeah… Why wouldn't I? He's a hero, after all! And he **always** gives me his business."

Lio rolled his eyes. "Even if he doesn't know your name?"

The man shrugged his shoulders and walked back to the window to take the next order. "Don't care as long as he keeps giving me his money and keeps us safe! He can call me whatever he wants!"

Lio smirked at the man.

_Galo really does have a certain effect on everyone he meets. Maybe he_ _ **should**_ _be the governor instead of me. I could always just stand by his side and stop him from doing something stupid. I know he said this city needs someone like me, but I think we could use his charm now more than anything._

Lio looked back at Galo and smiled fondly at the sight before him. Galo was shoving pizza as quick into his mouth as he could with no regards to how absurd and childish he looked. Lio, on the other hand, dabbed the grease off his slice with a napkin, then delicately bit the end of it. He smiled delightfully at the warm bread heating his still slightly chilled mouth, then sighed contentedly when he swallowed the bite and felt the tepid food enter the rest of his cold frame.

He paused when he took another bite since he heard Galo snickering. Lio frowned and narrowed his eyes at the man. "What's so funny?"

Galo brushed his words aside and leaned back in his chair. "It's nothing. I just couldn't help but think how cute you look eating that."

Lio's face turned so red he thought steam was coming out of his ears. He placed the pizza down and looked away quickly, praying Galo didn't see him looking so foolishly.

_How the hell did he beat me to saying that?! That's so unfair! And yet… It thrills me to hear him say that._

Lio glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, knowing his face was still beat red as he spoke. "Wh-what makes you say that?"

Galo tilted the chair back as he spoke. "Not only do you dab your pizza with a napkin, getting rid of the best part, but you take tiniest little hamster bites and make the most adorable faces when you swallow. It's rather enticing, honestly."

Lio couldn't stop himself from slamming his head against the table, his mind going to dirty places immediately and he needed to cover his shame.

_WHAT THE HELL DOES_ _ **THAT**_ _MEAN?!_

Lio cleared his throat as if he had said those words out loud, took a deep breath, then looked back up at the man. "Do you even understand half the words coming out of your mouth?"

Galo seemed to consider his thoughts, then shook his head and smiled cheekily once more. "Nope! And I don't care to try and figure them out most of the time. I just say whatever is on my mind and hope I don't offend anyone."

Lio's heart fluttered at the cute smile Galo gave him, then went back to his meal. However, he couldn't help the sarcastic comment he made. "...Guess you wouldn't make a good governor after all."

Galo nodded his head and took another aggressive bite of his food, speaking with his mouth full even though he knew it bothered Lio. "I already said that! Are you only **now** just accepting it as truth? Besides, no one's calling for **me** to run. Only a few fangirls who have no idea who I actually am."

Lio grimaced slightly at the mention of the man's fangirls, then shook his head to stop himself from reacting poorly. "Like I said, I'll think about it. I won't give up. Like you asked me."

Lio felt his heart temper again at the proud look in Galo's eyes, once again deciding now might have been a good time to brooch the subject of his feelings. He sat up straight and put his hands on the table, slowly inching them towards the other man's.

"Hey, Galo…?"

"Hm?" The blue man said, not really aware of how close their hands were.

Lio felt another blush grace his silky cheeks, but knew it was more muted than the other ones and decided not to bother trying to hide it. "Do you… I mean, I do, but… Do you…"

Galo blinked in confused at him, not bothering to push the man's hands away as they wrapped around his own. In fact, he returned the embrace and gave Lio his full attention. "You're going to have to make a better sentence than that if you want me to answer the question. And I know for a fact you're capable of more eloquent sentences than that."

Lio giggled and rolled his eyes. "Shut up. What I'm trying to say is I-"

"-Are you Lio Fotia? Can I ask you a few questions?"

Lio did not retreat his hands, but he did turn his head at the new voice.

_Interrupted again? What the hell?! Just when I was gathering the courage to finally talk to him!_

The woman who was speaking was very tall and very thin. She had long black hair that reached her feet and thick glasses that covered half of her young face. Her green eyes sparkled wonderfully at him, as if he was a pig she was ready to roast. There was something about that look that made Lio uneasy and when he saw the pen and notepad in her hand, he understood why.

"No, not now, please. As you can see I'm-"

"-Sure you can ask him a few questions! As long as those questions have to do with running for office."

Lio turned and glared at Galo, his expression going unnoticed since the other man was smirking at the reporter. Lio pinched Galo's hand, making the blue man yelp, then pout.

The petite man ignored the lovable gesture, refusing to let his feelings for Galo dampen his rage. "I don't want to be interviewed right now…"

Galo deepened his frown. "What's the big deal? Just answer a few questions and then we can go about our day. I need to stretch anyway. Been sitting far too long."

Lio hardened his glare only slightly making sure the reporter did not see it. "It's been like ten minutes of sitting and we were just walking for thirty. How is that too long?"

Galo shrugged his shoulders, stood up, and stretched his arms. "Any amount of sitting is too much sitting for me. I need to constantly be on the move if I want to stay sharp and keep the burning firefighter in me alive!"

Lio blinked at the man as he took, sighed in defeat, then rolled his eyes. "Why did I even bother asking?"

They turned both their heads to the woman who was giggling and blushing. She waved her hand across her face and smiled at them. "Forgive me, it's just… you too are **way** too cute together."

Lio's face boiled with blood as it once again turned red. He froze in his spot, not able to gauge how Galo was reacting since he felt like he was about to fall over in shock.

Galo laughed loudly and walked around the table to his companion. "Aren't we? I'll leave you two alone for a minute while I take a walk."

When he made it to Lio, then leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek, throwing the man out of his stupor as he turned wildly over to the blue haired man. "WH….WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

Galo smirked and winked at him. "Payback for the kiss earlier. Don't think I forgot about that."

With that, the taller man waved and walked out of the room, making his way down the street.

The woman took Galo's seat, snickering at the stunned state Lio was in and decided to try and break him out of it. "How long have you two known each other?"

Lio blinked a few times, catching his breath as he tried to remember the language the woman was speaking. "Wh-what was that?"

She giggled again. "Nevermind. I don't have much time, so I'll cut right to the point: Do you plan on running for office?"

Lio was finally able to calm himself down enough to answer the question, but his heart was still racing at the encounter he just had with Galo. "Is that a question you absolutely need the answer to right now?"

The woman frowned at him. "I mean… I guess not, but the people are demanding an answer. They're just **dying** to know if one of the saviors of humanity plans on becoming their leader. You have experience leading, don't you?"

Lio gave her a tilted frown. "Yes, but I don't know how appropriate it is for the former leader of the Mad Burnish to run a city. We weren't what you would call 'popular' back then. Even now, there are still those who are calling for our hanging."

The woman sighed. "I know… but we were all disillusioned back then. Those are just a few people whose voices happen to be the loudest. You can't base your popularity on them."

Lio nodded in understanding and crossed his legs. "I understand that, but their votes still count the same as anyone else. And I can't just ignore their pains and concerns. If i were to do that, then I'm no better than Kray."

The woman nodded as she wrote something down, making Lio roll his eyes since he had a feeling he was being quoted. "Aren't you going to ask me for permission before you quote me?"

The woman gave him a blashful look. "Sorry. That was just too compassionate of a statement not to quote."

Her words reminded Lio of Galo's statement early and he felt himself smiling slightly. The woman across from him apparently took that as a sign to continue asking questions, which she did. "If you do not plan to run for office, then what **are** your plans?"

Lio sighed and gestured to the rubbles of their city outside. "We plan on rebuilding. And we don't plan on stopping until everything is back to normal. Not the way it was before, but how it **should** be. How the Promare and everyone else **want** it to be." He looked out the door and smiled at the future he saw. "We will build a society that welcomes everyone and hides no secrets…"

Again the woman eagerly wrote down his words and judging by the look on her face, she was also describing how Lio looked when he said that. He rolled his eyes and turned back to her. "And I think those plans are far more important than running for office."

The woman nodded in agreement even though her question contradicted the motion. "But, don't you think if you were to become governor, you'd have **more** power to make the changes you want to make? Don't you think it'll give you **more** influence in society? If you became governor, you'd be able to make the changes from the inside and create the future you so boldly want to make."

Lio frowned. "You sound a lot like Galo."

The woman smirked. "Speaking of Galo, what's your relationship to him? Don't think the city hasn't noticed how close the two of you are. We never see you guys apart, there's got to be something more there, right?"

Lio blushed brightly and stuttered his words. "Wh…. Th-that is… u-umm…"

The woman didn't care about his obvious discomfort with the question and pushed forward. "And earlier you said 'we' will build the society. Are you talking about you and Galo Thymos? You have to be, right? Who else is there other than those men who were in the Man Burnish with you?"

Again, Lio didn't know what to say and he very inelegantly choked on his words. "I-I… Wh-what I m-meant to say was I-"

Just as he was about to panic and spit out a dimwitted response, the ground beneath them began to shake wildly. He stood up quickly despite the sudden and violent movement, looking out the door to see if the citizens were okay.

"Another earthquake?!" He mumbled under his breath as he watched people fall to the ground.

A loud explosion coming from outside caused his eyes to dart to the crumbling building he noticed earlier across the street. He watched as a woman tripped in front of the structure, her bag falling off her shoulders and freeing itself of the contents inside as the quakes grew in strength. The furious sound was soon followed by a flurry of screams and Lio's eyes widened when he saw the building slowly falling apart.

He cursed and ran out of the room, ignoring the way the earth shook recklessly back and forth, making it nearly impossible for him to stay on his feet as he bolted across the street. There was a woman whose foot was caught in a gap in the sidewalk that was no doubt created by the sudden quakes. Her daughter was screaming and crying next to her, desperately trying to pull her free as debris from the building next to them began raining on them.

"MOVE, KID!" Lio commanded, but the girl couldn't hear him over her own screams and the shouts of the people around her.

As soon as he made it to the duo, he grabbed the kid by her arm and yanked her away. Once he knew she was safe, he began working on freeing the woman who was still trapped. She looked up at him with grateful eyes, overjoyed that her daughter was safe, but Lio could still see the terror hidden inside them as he tried to pull herself free.

"Please, help! I'm all she has left!"

Lio didn't respond with his words since his hands were already working on releasing her foot. He dug his thin fingers between the gap as far as they would go, trying to get a hold on her heel in hopes that he could push it up and out. He growled when he heard another explosion and felt more debris falling on top of his head. Getting desperate, he instinctively tried to activate his Burnish fire and pointed his hand up. He cursed loudly when nothing happened, ignoring the agonizing emptiness and pitiful sorrow he felt at the absence of his Promare confidante.

_Now's not the time for self pity! I need to get this woman out of here!_

His hands were beginning to shake as he heard yet another explosion. The woman screamed as a large piece of the building fell behind Lio, the quakes only getting more violent the longer he took to free her. He wrapped his free hand around her shin and pulled up, using the fingers inside the crack to push her foot out and free. As soon as she had her foot back, the woman ran towards her daughter, picked her up, ran across the street, and hid underneath a table the pizzeria had sitting outside. Lio attempted to join her, but could not since his hand was stuck in the gap.

"SHIT!" He shouted as he looked up and saw more debris falling.

He grimaced when a rather large piece of rubble hit him in the face, one of his fingers snapping in the crack of the sidewalk as another violent quake wrecked the city. He scowled at the pebble, then ignored the next flurry of rocks then fell on top of him, not caring about the broken finger as he tried to free himself.

_No… No, not now! I can't die yet! There's still too much work to be done!_

An image of Galo flashed before him and he felt a tear fall from his eye.

_There's still too much that needs to be said…_

He looked up and saw a large piece of the building falling towards him. Lio curling in a ball and prepared himself for impact, screaming as loud as he could before it hit him. "GALLOOO!"

He stiffened his body in preparation for the hit, then blinked when he felt something lighter and softer fall on top of him and slide him away. Whatever it was was also far warmer than building debris and for some reason gave him a pleasurable sensation when it wrapped him up in its welcoming embrace. Lio opened his eyes and blinked at the image before him, his mouth dropping and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"G-Galo…?"

Galo looked down at him, the smaller man wrapped tightly in his arms as the blue eyed man smirked. "You called for me?"

Lio continued blinking, not sure what had happened, but when he looked over the other man's shoulder, he understood. Galo must have shown up at the last minute, seen the direness of Lio's situation and ran forward to save him. He was laying on the pavement several feet away from the building with Galo on top of him, the larger man's arms wrapped tightly around his diminutive frame.

Lio gawked at the man that had him pinned to the sidewalk, his mind only half noticing the quakes had stopped. "You… You saved me?"

Galo frowned. "Of course I did! Why wouldn't I save a cutie like you?"

Lio blushed wildly and shook his head. "How did you know to come back?"

Galo thought about his words, but did not pull his arms away. "I don't know… I guess I just had a feeling you were in trouble. As soon as the earthquake started, I turned back around without a second thought because I felt like you needed me."

Lio melted in the man's arms, burying his face as deep into Galo's chest as he could. "Thank you…"

Galo smiled warmly. "Come on, you know I'd never leave my best man hanging! I'll always be there for you. No matter what. Besides, what would become of me if you were gone?"

Lio chuckled a little and spoke his words out loud. "I don't know what could become of **me** if **you** weren't around…"

Before Galo could respond to that, the reporter from earlier ran over to the both of them, falling to her knees with the pen and paper still in her hands. Lio heard her flurry of questions, but ignored them all in favor of answering the last one he was asked.

"You were asking what our relationship was earlier, right?" Lio ignored Galo's confused look, overjoyed he was still in the other man's arms as he watched the woman nod her head. "You can quote me on this: Galo Thymos and I are partners in all things personal and professional. We'll be by each other's side no matter what."

_And even though I want more, that's enough for now. I'll be there for him and he'll be there for me. No matter where we go or what we do, we will be together._


	2. Perplexing Feelings

A/N: The stars* denote the beginning and ending of a flashback.

The dividers signify a passage of time, either short or long (the time will be made apparent as you read). This chapter gives you a bit of a better idea of how my writing format works.

Disclaimer: I do not own Promare or its characters

* * *

A robust, calloused hand adorned with tough, board fingers anxiously ran through azure hair. The man who called himself the owner of the limb released a strained sigh from his slightly tanned lips. He was staring out the window lazily, an emotion the normally animated man was not used to experiencing. It was difficult to avoid the sensation when his partner was laying in the bed behind him, a broken hand and wrist the green haired man's only company as he rested from the stress the day had brought on.

_The sudden snow storm outside doesn't help my mood either. Man, I hate feeling miserable! It_ _**sucks!** _ _How do normal people cope with such an awful feeling?!_

Galo was typically a very gregarious, spirited, fearless man, but right now he didn't feel like doing anything except staying by Lio's side until he recovered. That was also an odd reaction for him to have since he was usually the man that would dive in head first to the fray. Or **hair** first, as Lio always put it. Under any other circumstances, he would have been the first one on the scene, safeguarding the city, and looking for anyone who also may have been injured from the precipitous earthquake.

_The other firefighters and first responders said they had it covered. But, that doesn't stop me from feeling guilty about not helping. Lio too. That's not enough to make me wake him up, though. He needs to rest._

Galo frowned and made a quiet, rancorous noise at the falling snow, his eyes drifting to the city below as he watched the other first responders clear up debris and help citizens find safety and warmth.

_They don't look like they're struggling right now… It_ _**was** _ _a quick temblor. Maybe the damage isn't that bad?_

He winced when he saw a building across the street lose a few bricks and leaned forward with his hands on the windowsill to get a better look as he watched them fall to the ground. Fortunately, there were no people underneath it and the building itself looked abandoned. The brinks fell onto a soft pile of snow that had been rapidly forming about the structure, giving the decaying development a far more serene aura than what the truth of its reality was.

_Guess there's_ _ **one**_ _good thing about these dramatic weather changes. But, I'm sure this snow won't last. either It'll probably be replaced with something completely different in a matter of hours. Then_ _ **that**_ _will be replaced with something else and so on and so forth. That seems to be the deal Mother Nature has made with us lately._

Galo sighed in relief and pulled away from the window slightly, grateful to his friends for taking care of the city while he tended to his partner. When Galo informed them of Lio's broken limb and near death experience, they assured the blue haired man that they had enough laddermen to handle the aftermath of the earthquake and he could stay by Lio's side. That alleviated Galo's remorse because as much as he wanted to help, he really didn't **want** to leave his roommate alone. However, it didn't assuage all the guilt he felt. He still desperately wanted to be out with the other heroes, helping their city and its citizens.

_I'll go help them once I know Lio's okay…_

Galo glanced over his shoulder at the sleeping beauty, smiling fondly at the sight of the former Burnish.

_Why am I so worried about him? He's already proven he can take care of himself over and over again. He's even saved_ _**my** _ _ass on countless occasions._

Galo got lost in the memories of all the times he and Lio had faced death together in the last six months, including their battle with Kray. It seemed that even though they had dealt with the former governor, life did not intend for them to rest and live happily ever after just yet. And today was just another small example of that.

_I mean, obviously I care about him, but when I saw that building falling on him I felt like_ _ **my**_ _life was over. Not to mention as soon as the earthquake happened, all I could think about was getting back to him. He was the first thing on my mind._

Galo was never the type to question his thoughts or feelings, so as soon as his heart told him to turn around and check on Lio, he didn't hesitate. He flew like a bat out of Hell back to the pizzeria, feeling as though his life was flashing before his eyes at the thought that something might have happened to his small companion. His normally carefree persona was instantly replaced with dread at the mere thought of losing Lio.

When he got there and saw Lio had almost been crushed by a building while attempting to save a woman and her daughter, Galo thanked whatever supernatural force that took over his body and commanded him to run back to his partner. He only made it just in time.

_Again, I still don't understand_ _ **why**_ _I felt so passionately about getting back to him in the moment. But, I've never questioned my thoughts or emotions before, so I just acted on my gut feeling and ran as fast as I could back to him. However, I do wish I understood what this feeling was._

That wasn't the only emotion Lio ignited in him that he didn't understand. Whenever Lio was near him, Galo felt like he was capable of anything and could take on whatever the world threw at him. Lio gave him a feeling of strength and fortitude that combined with a euphoric heat the firefighter had previously thought was impossible.

Galo had always thought himself to be an intrepid man with a fiery heart that rivaled one of a basilisk, yet somehow Lio was able to add fuel to the flame in his chest, creating an uncontrollable force the firefighter was still learning how to tame. What made the sensation worse was the fact that Lio didn't have to do anything to create it. Something as simple as the man's smile or his sheer presence was enough.

_But, the most frustrating part about it is I have_ _ **no idea**_ _what this feeling is. I know I enjoy his company more than anyone else, and I choose to be with him over all of my friends, but I don't understand why. I don't understand why only_ _ **he**_ _makes me feel invincible. Like I could run into a burning building completely nude and still come out unscathed._

When he and Lio first met, they were enemies, but that quickly changed when the former Burnish helped open his eyes. That was another reason why he had grown so attached to the man. Lio showed him the truth and expanded the rest of his mind in the process. Galo was aware he wasn't the brightest bulb in the bunch, but that wasn't something that ever concerned or offended him before. He didn't think he needed brains when he had his impressive brawns to get him through almost any situation along with his distinct charm and apparent luck. It had gotten him that far in life, so what did he need intelligence for?

_Besides, I have street smarts! Well… kind of I guess. Considering I was duped by the governor for so long, I guess I am a bit naive, but… does_ _ **that**_ _even really matter with Lio at my side?_

Lio kept him in check mentally, emotionally, and physically. Whenever Galo was about to jump out of a window that just so happened to be twenty stories up, his partner always pointed out how incompetent and boneheaded the idea was, and Lio's voice of reason was always the only one that was ever able to reach him.

_Probably because he always has another plan in mind that makes far more sense. Everyone else just tells me I'm stupid, but doesn't offer any other solutions to the problem. At least I'm_ _ **trying**_ _to fix the problem with my ideas! Even if they are dumb._

To anyone that didn't know him, jumping out of a twenty story building was a drastic example, but when it came to Galo's extemporaneous and untenable personality, it described a memory he shared with Lio almost exactly. His other friends were screaming at him not to jump, but it wasn't until Lio showed up and offered a different solution did he finally listen.

Galo smiled warmly as another memory played out in front of him, his eyes still locked onto the virtuous man resting blissfully in the bed.

" _GALO! YOU MORON! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK THIS IS GOING TO ACCOMPLISH?!"_

_Galo looked over his shoulder at the pink haired woman as he placed his boot clad foot on the pane of the window, glass shards scattering as he adjusted his weight on the frame. Despite the obvious fury Aina was emitting from her tiny frame, he smiled cheekily at the woman, as if he didn't have a care in the world._

" _It's going to get me to the ground faster to save those people trapped from being trapped from burning rubble! Why else would I be doing it?"_

_Aina gritted her teeth. "Oh, I don't know, BECAUSE YOU'RE AN IDIOT ANY THAT'S A TERRIBLE IDEA?!"_

_Galo frowned at her. "That's cold, Aina! Which is impressive considering how hot it is in here!"_

_The woman's eyebrow twitched. "Are you_ _ **seriously**_ _making_ _ **jokes**_ _while we're literally TRAPPED IN A BURNING ROOM WITH A WAILING CHILD?!"_

_Galo turned his frown from the woman to child who was clinging to her shirt. He was covered in soot and dust, his skin caked with ashes, his naturally blond hair turning an ominous shade of black as it framed his innocent face. He was trembling in fear, and it broke the blue-eyed man's heart to see the state of the boy._

_However, that only further confirmed the idea of jumping out of the twenty story building as acceptable. The boy's parents were two of the people he was attempting to recklessly jump out on the window to save. He knew it would be a difficult task to accomplish without his mech suit, but he wasn't going to let a small set back like that stop him._

_Galo turned his impassioned gaze back on the female firefighter. "If you give me the kid, I can get us both out of here before the building burns down completely."_

_Remi, who was crouched on the ground next to Varys as they attempted to uncover the barricaded door, growled at the dense man and finally decided to say his piece on the senseless chatter Galo seemed intent on vocalizing._

" _On what planet do you think that will work?! And even if by some_ _ **insane**_ _miracle it did, what the hell are the rest of us supposed to do?!"_

_Galo blinked in confusion at them, as if the answer to that question was obvious. "You'll jump out of the window as well, of course…"_

_That statement was dimwitted enough to distract Varys as well as he wiped his brow and berated the man. "WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP WITH YOUR IDOTIC IDEAS, ROOKIE! And if you're so proud of all those muscles you're toting, why not make use of them and help us?"_

_Galo was getting sick of being told his idea was stupid when it was obvious getting through the door was_ _**not** _ _the solution to their problem. "First of all, the fire raging outside of that door will_ _**not** _ _lead us to safety. Only more doom and gloom and I don't know why none of you can see that. Second, STOP CALLING ME A ROOKIE! You know I've been doing this long enough to be considered a pro at this point!"_

_Aina tried to shush the crying child, then choked on the smoke filling the room. "Can we stop fighting and think of a_ _ **real**_ _way out of this?! Galo's right, Varys, it doesn't matter if you unblock the door, there's just going to be more fire that we're not equipped to handle right now!"_

_Varys knew that was true. The fire had been too sudden for them to react appropriately. That was one of the many side effects of the weather changes that had been occurring. The burning building they were currently in was the fourth one in the last five days and it was caused by the swift and unforeseen climate switches. A bolt of lightning had struck an electrical wire next to the building, spawning a seething fire to spread unceremoniously to the structure._

_To make matters worse, the building was being used as temporary housing, which meant it was fully occupied when the fire started. It was pure luck they had made it there in time to save the people on the lower levels, so the fact that they were able to make it to the top floor was incomprehensibly auspicious. Since they were in the middle of their regular city clean up, they were ill equipped and unprepared to deal with a spontaneous and tempestuous fire, but that didn't stop any of them from jumping into the fracas. It was part of being a firefighter._

_Varys coughed on the smoke, attempting to wave it away with his hand even though he knew it was a futile gesture. "DO YOU HAVE ANY BRIGHT IDEAS?!"_

" _YES, WE JUMP OUT THE WINDOW AND-"_

" _NOT YOU!" Both Varys and Remi said together, glaring at the daring, yet asinine man through the thick sediment that consumed the air._

_Galo rolled his eyes, somehow able to remain calm throughout the entire ordeal. Probably because he had convinced himself his idea was the right course of action and was sure it would save them all. He still didn't understand why none of them could see the inventiveness behind his thought process. They all agreed they couldn't go out the door, the building was slowly burning to the ground, and they weren't going to be able to breath for much longer. They needed to get out of there as soon as possible and save the citizens in the other buildings he was sure were scorching as well._

" _This is literally the only option we have! We_ _ **have**_ _to do it!" Galo shouted again. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that leaping out of the window was going to work._

_Aina coughed a bit more, trying to cover her mouth as she spoke. "That will assuredly lead us to our deaths!"_

" _SO WILL STAYING IN THIS BUILDING!" Retaliated Galo._

_Remi looked between the two fuming firefighters who seemed intent on arguing with each other no matter what the circumstances were, then squinted at the wall behind the pink haired woman. "Hey… what's going on with-"_

_Before he could finish his sentence, the wall behind Aina exploded, scattering a sleet of detritus to fusillade the room. It was difficult to tell when the dust settled since the new residue was combining with the old, adding an opaque density to the already polluted air. However, when Galo was finished with his coughing fit, he saw a bright hint of green and he felt his heart skip a beat at the familiar and comforting color._

" _LIO?!" The blue haired man shouted as he leaned slightly back into the room, but did not remove his foot from the window._

_Lio stepped into the room, his former high-ranking officers on either side of him, coughing and choking on the smoke that the ex-Mad Burnish leader seemed impervious to. Meis and Gueira held two large steel tables they must have found somewhere else in the building, which they used as a means to break the already fragile wall down._

_When he heard Galo say his name, he clenched his fists and stormed over to the man. Once he was in front of the firefighter, he flattened his hand, reached out, and slapped the him across the face._

_Galo clasped his cheek and stared down at the man, shock evident in his eyes. "L-Lio! Wh-what?!-"_

" _-SHUT UP! DON'T THINK I DIDN'T HEAR YOUR LUDICROUS IDEA FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS WALL! I MEAN, I KNEW YOU WERE DUMB, BUT_ _ **JUMP OUT OF THE BUILDING?!**_ _ARE YOU COMPLETELY INSANE?!"_

_Galo opened and closed his mouth several times, not sure how to respond to the man's statement. He had so many questions for his friend, but found himself at a loss for words._

_Nevertheless, he tried. "H-how?! Wh-what?! Wh-where… wh-where the hell did you come from?! And what the hell are you doing here?! I_ _ **told**_ _you to stay put!"_

_Lio growled angrily, then reached out and grabbed the taller man's shirt, bringing Galo down so their faces were close. "And in what universe do you think I'd actually listen and let you go and get yourself killed? You know you'd be lost without me!"_

_Galo blinked at him a few times, then smiled affectionately at him despite the perilousness of the situation they were in. "Yeah… yeah, I guess that's true…"_

_Lio returned the smile, getting lost in the other man for a moment and nearly forgetting their imminent doom of being burned alive. It wasn't until Varys' voice entered their ears did either of them remember what was happening._

" _WOULD YOU TWO STOP WITH THE GOOGLING EYES?! WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR SUPPRESSED FEELINGS FOR ONE ANOTHER!"_

_Galo turned his head and cocked an eyebrow in confusion at the man, not noticing Lio's bright blush and flustered face. "Googly eyes? What do you-"_

" _GALO, MOVE!"_

_The blue-eyed man looked at Aina when she shouted, then up at the ceiling to see plaster showering down on him. He cursed, wrapped his arms around Lio, and jumped away from the window. When they were several feet away, Galo caught his breath, lowered his head in relief, but did not let go of the small man in his arms._

" _Man, fate must be trying to tell me something with a loud message like that!" Galo had the audacity to smirk despite their obvious vulnerability._

_Lio was able to snap himself out of his minor stupor at being so close to the man and punched him in the chest. "That wasn't fate! That was the building falling apart around us! And if it is fate, then it's telling us your idea was terrible!"_

_Galo frowned at the man he still had his arms around. "Fine! What's your bright idea, Oh Wise Leader of the Man Burnish?"_

_Lio scowled at him. "There's a fire escape attached to the next room. An architecturally necessary addition made to every building for situations just like this! If you would stop your imprudent thoughts for_ _ **just**_ _a second, as inconvenient as that is for you, you would have seen the wall falling apart and would have noticed the staircase through the gaping hole."_

_The ex-Burnish pointed towards a certain spot where the wall had once been. "There was a crack in the wall pointing right towards it! That, along with your obnoxiously boutrous voice, is what allowed me to find you." He turned a glare to the rest of the firefighters who were making their way out of the room. "_ _**Him** _ _, I understand, but the rest of you?! Really?! Aren't you all supposed to be professionals?! Why didn't you check every nook and cranny in this room?!"_

_Remi rolled his eyes as he stepped into the next room. "We were a bit distracted by our impending cataclysm!_ _ **Sorry**_ _we almost cost your precious Galo_ _ **his**_ _life!"_

_Lio growled at the man, angry he was assuming he only cared about Galo's safety. While it was a big proponent in running after the firefighters and staying in the collapsing building, it wasn't his sole purpose. He wasn't a selfish person and he hated being accused of such a hideous trait. "JUST SHUT UP AND GET OUT BEFORE YOU INHALE EVEN MORE SMOKE, JACKASS!"_

_Galo ignored their interaction and blinked at his small friend, then at the wall he had come through and saw right away what Lio was talking about. It was clear the barrier was seconds away from breaking apart, and he was able to see the spot Lio meant. However, that wasn't the part of the sentence that concerned the blue-eyed man._

_He looked back down at Lio who was still tangled in his arms as the rest of their friends climbed through the rubble and towards the stairs. "You were specifically looking for_ _**me** _ _? Why?! What the hell is wrong with you?! You should have gotten out sooner!"_

_Lio rolled his eyes and pinched the man's cheeks as hard as he could. "I didn't come here_ _ **just**_ _for you! I came here to help! And I_ _ **did**_ _leave, but when I saw you stick your behemoth foot out the window, I realized you were still in here and came_ _ **back in**_ _after you!" He narrowed his eyes at the taller man. "And I assure you I saved more people than your dumbass did."_

_Galo stared at him for a few seconds, then laughed emphatically. "Oh, I didn't know it was a competition! Had I known that, I would have kept count!"_

_Despite the flaming building, crumbling floors, and disintegrating walls, Lio smiled up at the man. "I have no doubt about that, you fire fighting fool…"_

_Galo returned the man's smile, once again forgetting they were moments away from their demise as he spoke. "You know me too well, Moon Bug."_

_Lio blushed at the new pet name and opened his mouth to question what it meant. However, when they heard a loud explosion and felt more debris falling on their heads, his thoughts were cut off. Galo grabbed the smaller man's wrist and pulled him towards the gaping hole._

" _Enough chit-chat! That kid was the last person in here! Let's go!"_

Galo's face became wistful as the memory ended, his eyes never leaving his companion throughout the recollection. That happened a few months after their encounter with Kray and several similar moments had occurred since then, but every time Galo was about to put his head needlessly through the guillotine, Lio was there to pull him free and lead him down a more reasonable path. Galo was aware Lio wasn't the only one who tried to subdue him whenever he was stuck in one of his heated and impulsive decisions, but for some reason the petite former Burnish had been the only one who was successful in getting through to him.

_I don't know what it is about him that makes me take his words to heart. I may ignore everyone else's warning, but I'm all ears when it comes to him._

Galo's smile widened as he watched his partner's sedated form, praying the man was having pleasant and soothing dreams. Judging by the smile on his face, Galo was sure he was.

_I wonder what he's dreaming about?_

Lio had been asleep for a few hours, which took considerable effort on the blue-eyed man's part for the same reason **he** was feeling dejected. Much like how Galo always felt, the green haired man did not want to rest. He wanted to sweep the city for damage and any injured citizen who might have been trapped under something heavy, like the other first responders were doing.

_Technically Lio_ _ **isn't**_ _a first responder, but he's been acting like one for the last six months. That's one of the reasons I'm pushing him to become governor. Not just because I know he'll be good at it, but also because it'll be safer. Well… assuming we don't fall into the same mistakes as before it'll be safer._

Galo sulked at his own thoughts.

_And all I really want is for him to be safe. Safe and with a peace of mind. Which he seems to be lacking right now._

It hurt Galo to see Lio's physical ailment accompanying the man's inner turmoil, but that fact that his partner wouldn't talk to him about it only poured salt in his already agonizing wounds. He wanted to know what was wrong with his friend, but Lio didn't seem like he wanted to talk about it. And the last thing Galo wanted to do was force his partner to do something he didn't want to do.

_Broken bones will heal, but what can I do about his broken spirit? He doesn't have the same fiery tenacity he had when we first met…_

He crossed his arms against his chest, smiling with a profound sadness as he watched Lio's dainty chest rise and fall slowly, the heat in his chest growing at the sight.

_...The same fiery passion that ignited my soul six months ago. And the fire has been raging since. I may not understand it, but I do know that I like it, and I know I don't want it to stop. That's why I want to be around him so much. This feeling is confusing, but… nice._

The feeling intensified when he thought about the kiss of life he gave Lio six months ago and was the same reason he decided to kiss his cheek earlier that day. It was the same reason he went out of his way to touch and hold the other man and the same reason he volunteered to share a room with him.

He simply wanted to be closer to the other man so the galvanizing feeling would remain in his heart. Even though it never left him when Lio **wasn't** around, it was so much stronger, so much more powerful, so much more palpable when the ex-Burnish was near that Galo found himself doing everything he could to spend every waking moment with him.

_It's such a confusing feeling and I wish I understood it better, but I don't. Ah, whatever. Doesn't matter. I enjoy the feeling and since it's stronger whenever he's around, I'll just have to keep him by my side no matter what. Besides, it doesn't seem he wants to go anywhere either._

Galo allowed the same invigorating warmth to dominate his fire burning soul as he gazed at the slumpering man. Lio was curled in a tight ball, blanket wrapped around his bantam frame with his broken hand outstretched and away from his body. Galo's smile slowly transformed from melancholy to euphora as he stared at the smaller man's inert and peaceful face.

Lio's closed lids covered the unique lavender eyes he was graced with, an angelic feature he had never seen on anyone before he met the former Burnish. They only served as further proof to how wonderfully peculiar his partner was, and Galo wouldn't have it any other way. He knew from the moment he met the man, Lio was completely different from anyone he had ever met. And he liked it.

_There isn't a single thing I would change about him. Well, other than his current meek demeanor. It's almost as if he's afraid of his own future when six months ago he was fighting his damndest to make sure everyone had a fair and safe one._

He etched the image before him onto his brain, since he felt like he hadn't seen the other man look so tranquil in such a long time.

_Maybe the broken hand is a blessing in disguise. Maybe it'll force us to stay put for a bit so we can finally talk about what's been bothering him._

At first, Lio thought it was just his finger that was broken. However, as soon as Galo looked at it, he was able to tell his entire hand and wrist were fractured as well. The firefighter had enough first aid knowledge to know that it was not a simple broken bone and based on the way it was beginning to swell, he was worried his partner was going to need surgery to fix it. And right now, all the hospitals were full with people who had far worse injuries.

_I tried to convince Lio to go, but he refused. He said all he needed was time and rest._

Galo was able to secure the damaged limb, but without the proper equipment and a more professional opinion, there wasn't much else he could do. Lio attempted to comfort him with empty words of reassurance, but none of it made Galo feel better. It was only when the green hair man agreed to let a doctor come to **them** did Galo finally shut up and bring the man home.

_I know it's not a compound fracture since there's no broken skin, which is good because that erases the possibility of an infection. How, if it's a comminuted fracture, he's going to need surgery._

That was why he wanted to take him to a hospital. Of course he knew there were others that needed the help more, but all Galo cared about in that moment was making sure Lio was okay. He said it to the man earlier that day and he meant it.

_I don't know what I'd do without him…_

So, instead of bringing him to the hospital, Galo gave Lio some pain medicine he had stored away with his first aid supplies, and put him to bed. That seemed to be the best they could do for the moment.

Galo turned back around and rested his forehead against the window, the iciness of the glass pane cooling the fire that was brewing in his chest after admiring his sleeping companion. His eye widened when he saw something pass by the window, blinking in confusion as he pressed his face harder against the glass.

"Was that…?!"

Galo opened the window, ignoring the chilly air that entered the room as he leaned out to get a better look. His jaw dropped as his upper body hung outside, trying to get a closer to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

_And if it_ _**is** _ _what I think it is, I'll need to get a picture to show Lio. It'll make him so happy!_

His heart lifted at the idea of making the other man happy and he grabbed onto the window frame so he could droop himself out a bit more. Galo's ears perked at the pleasing tweeting sounds he heard, since that confirmed what he believed he saw.

"A BIRD! IT'S A BIRD!" He shouted before covering his mouth looking back into the room to make sure Lio was still sleeping. Seeing that he was, he sighed in relief and turned back to the scene in front of him.

_And it's not_ _ **just**_ _a bird! It's a bird's_ _ **nest**_ _! We have_ _ **birds nesting**_ _just outside our window! I need to get a picture of this before something happens to them!_

He dug his phone out of his pocket, using one hand to take a picture as the other held onto the frame of the window. Galo reached his arm out as far as it would go, angling it so he had a good shot of the avian creatures, then snapped a picture quickly. He smirked as he pulled his arm back and looked at the picture, then yelped as he nearly fell out the window and fumbled with his phone.

"Shit!" He somehow managed to make sure his voice was quiet, keeping Lio in mind the entire time he nearly plummeted to his death.

He was able to regain his balance and his phone, shutting his eyes and sighing in relief as he hung limply against the window. Galo glanced at the picture again, nodded his head, then pulled himself back inside.

Once he was in, he pocketed his phone and looked back at Lio to make sure he was still sleeping. He frowned when he saw the small man shaking in his sleep, then turned around and shut the window.

_He'd say that was an idotic idea and he'd probably be right, but I don't care since I got the picture and didn't wake him up. It'll also make him happy to know we are near the home of such a rare and cute critter._

Spotting animals in the wild has become an oddity so much so if you claimed to have seen something as average as a fox, people would call you crazy. Most of them had either been killed from the various climate changes, in the initial war with Kray, or run off in attempts to find better terrain to inhabit. Galo knew chances of them finding a better place to live were slim. Some people had left the city as well with the same thought in mind, but came back empty.

_A few even tried to follow the animals out, but either came back worse for wear, or lost their lives along the way._

They hadn't had much time to venture out of the city, but from the little they did explore and from what they'd heard about the groups put in charge of searching the outer rims of the city and surrounding areas, there wasn't much else to be found. The neighboring towns and cities were just as bad off as they were and had even sent citizens to their borough to see what they had to offer. Everyone and everywhere was replete with disappointment.

_There's nothing anywhere unless we're looking for more death and despair…_

Galo shook his head and slapped his cheeks, trying to pep himself up again before Lio woke up. His companion had been so out of sorts recently that Galo felt the need to take it upon himself to be as optimistic and upbeat as possible. The last thing he wanted to do was to give the smaller man more to deal with.

The firefighter frowned when he realized that closing the window did not stop Lio's shivers. Acting impulsively, he ran over to their closet, grabbed his firefighter jacket, and leapt back over to his partner. He gently placed the jacket on top of Lio, tucking it around his modest, celestial figure in hopes it could keep his roommate warm.

Galo stepped back and waited a minute to see if it worked, then tilted his head in confusion when he heard Lio whisper something in his sleep.

"Galo…"

For some reason, the revering tone in the former Burnish's voice made Galo's heart skip several beats and want to be closer to the man. He stepped over to the bed, leaning one hand on the mattress so he could get a better look at Lio's face. The firefighter smiled adoringly, then reached his other hand out to gently tuck a bit of his companion's hair behind his ear. His fingers lingered on Lio's porcelain cheek, his eyes locking onto the small smile that gracefully decorated the dazzling man's lips.

Subconsciously, he felt himself moving closer to Lio's lips, once again not questioning his actions. He was simply following his instincts, allowing his body to act on its own as he was mere inches away from Lip's dormant, yet awaiting lips. Goosebumps traveled delectably down his skin, trapping him in a heated sensation he had only felt once before when he kissed Lio's soul back into his body.

Just as he was about to make contact, he heard a clattering resounding behind him, making the firefighter jolt up and run towards the stove.

"Damnit! My soup!"

Their room was small and therefore so was their kitchen, which was only a few steps away from the bed, but it was enough to allow him to make a simple meal for the two of them. He settled on pizza soup, a concoction he came up with on his own due to the leftover pizza they always seemed to have in the fridge.

Galo was aware that was due to his inability to understand how much food Lio could consume in one sitting, but he also didn't care. Lio seemed to enjoy the meal, so Galo was prepared to give him as much as he could. It wasn't the only thing he could cook. Just what he knew they both enjoyed and was easy to make in such a confined space.

Galo turned the stove off and removed the pot from the burner. He sighed in relief as he covered the dish, resting his hands on the rim of the oven and lowering his head in thought.

_Was I about to kiss his_ _ **lips**_ _this time? While he was_ _ **sleeping**_ _?! What's wrong with me?!_

Still, as he turned to watch the petite man's chest rise and fall, whispering Galo's name again, he couldn't stop the pleasurable warmth from filling his chest once more. Again, he moved on instinct and stepped back over to the bed, but that time made sure he was facing Lio's back, so as not to force anything unwanted on the other man.

Galo stared down at his friend, frowning only slightly when he heard Lio say his name again.

_Why does he keep saying my name? Is he having a dream about me?_

Instincts took over again as he reached out and gently ran his fingers through Lio's hair. He jumped slightly when he saw the lavender-eyed man lean into the gesture, his opulent face glossed over in glee as if he was accepting Galo's flippantly hesitant, yet tender fingers.

_Not just accepting, almost like he's_ _ **welcoming**_ _it. Like he wants more…_

Galo smiled subtly at his own thoughts.

_Since when can I read people's thoughts? That's not like me._

He chuckled quietly at the man's sweet face.

_Well… it_ _ **is**_ _Lio, after all. We have a connection I can't explain. A bond that feels unbreakable. Maybe I'm starting to understand his thoughts more. Not quite his emotions, but his thoughts. Maybe one day I'll understand what he's feeling and maybe I'll even understand my own feelings as well, but for now…_

Galo pulled back the blankets and jacket that he had wrapped tightly around Lio, slipping into bed next to him.

_...For now, who am I to question something we clearly both want?_

As soon as he was under the blankets and settled next to the man, he wrapped his burly, powerful arm around Lio's slim waist. He was about to pull Lio's back into his chest, but the green haired man beat him to it. Lio's body moved naturally, as if he intuitively knew Galo was laying next to him. The smaller man even went so far as to turn his head slightly and rest it against the larger man's shoulder, nuzzling his cheek into the firm, warm flesh that resided there.

Galo's heart stopped when he caught a glimpse of how rapturous his partner's face looked, then began to beat faster when Lio's lips formed into a harmonious smile. Again, the firefighter followed his heart and tucked more of the other man's hair behind his ear, giving him a better view of Lio's congenial face. He tightened his arm around the former Burnish's thin waist, pressing their bodies so they were flushed against each other.

He could tell Lio was still asleep, but whispered his name with a tone that made Galo question it for a second. He said it with such conviction and passion that the firefighter actually lifted his head slightly just to be sure he was correcting in thinking he was still sleeping. Seeing that he still was, he rested his head back against the pillow.

Galo smiled, unsure of what the burning in his heart was, but knowing it was different then the fire that regularly scorched his soul. He decided it didn't matter, since no matter what it was or what it meant, he liked it. And the fact that Lio's body was so close to his own, the fact that the smaller man was pressed so tightly against his chest, and snuggled so deeply in his arms made the fevered sensation all the more authoritative. Galo found himself caving into the feeling, unwilling and unable to fight the dominating force as he rested his cheek against their now shared pillow, resting his chin on Lio's locks.

He shut his eyes and relaxed his body, making sure the other man was still secure in his arms as he joined Lio in his peaceful slumber. "I'm here, Lio. Don't worry. My burning firefighter spirit will keep you company until you find yours again."

Galo squeezed his partner a little when he felt the other man shiver slightly, as if he was still getting used to the warm embrace. "I'll keep you warm, Moon Bug."

* * *

Lio attempted to stretch, then winced at the pain that was still distinctively evident in his arm. He lazily opened his eyes and squinted tiredly at the damaged limb, moaning slightly from the throbs that maliciously sent waves of incentive pain discourteously down his arm. It was easy enough for the ex-leader of the Mad Burnish to move on from, since he had experienced far worse in the past.

_My body nearly disappeared during that final battle with Kray. This should be nothing for me._

Nevertheless, that didn't stop him from grimacing again as the next tide of unpleasant pain washed through him. Groaning, he lifted his arm slightly in order to scowl at it, mentally placing blame on the azoic limb, as if his glare was the hidden secret in curing fractured bones. Seeing that did not work, Lio lowered his hand gently, making sure to rest it on the pillow just above his head Galo had generously provided him, then shut his eyes again.

_I can't decide if Galo gave me too many painkillers or not enough. My hand still hurts, but I feel like I've been sleeping for_ _**days** _ _. What time is it?_

The green haired man attempted to push himself up with his uninjured hand and reached insipidly for his phone, but stopped when he felt something preventing him from completing his first task. He frowned and blinked at the arm wrapped around his waist, the limb in question relaxing mildly despite the hefty weight it possessed. Feeling his heart stop for a moment, Lio turned his head to gaze over his shoulder and felt an upsurge of heat ravage his body at the vision his lavender eyes were greeted with.

_Wh-what the hell?! Why is he sleeping next to me?! Wait, never mind that, the better question is why is he_ _ **spooning**_ _me?!_

Lio felt his breath beginning to pick up speed at an alarming pace and the pain he once felt in his arm had completely shifted to frantic elation. His body began to tremble slightly, and he knew it had nothing to do with any of the normal frigid feelings he had been experiencing the last six months. In fact, he had almost forgotten what it was like to feel anything other than the asphyxiating fire that was engrossing his entire body, heart, mind, and soul. He had never been that intimately close to the man before, even when Galo had accidentally fallen asleep in his bed in the past.

_Was this another accident, or was this on purpose?_

Lio felt fabric that did not have the same consistency of a blanket brush against his shoulder. He turned his gaze from the sleeping firefighter to the object and felt his heart skip a beat at what he saw.

_Galo's firefighter jacket? Did he give this to me?_

Lio sighed at his own obtuse question.

_Of course he gave it to me. Who else would have?_

He adjusted his head slightly so he could get a better view of his snoozing partner. Lio had watched Galo sleep before, but never from such a close proximity. Galo always snored like a boar, and that time was no different. His mouth was propped open ever so slightly and his head was tilted back, giving the man a oafish and gauche appearance. His cobalt hair was sucked in with each boorish breath he took, causing the man to nearly choke on his own locks. The idea of the man suffocating on his own recalcitrant mane which Galo asserted needed to be cut in such an unruly manner made Lio roll his and giggle.

_I told him that hairstyle would be the death of him one day. That's why the rest of the firefighters have their hair cut reasonably short. Or at least they style it in a way so it isn't always in their face and almost catching fire._

Lio's quiet giggles turned into regale chuckles as his mind traipsed off to the time Galo's hair actually **did** catch fire. Luckily for his blue-eyed dreamboat, Lio noticed in enough time to hastily and inelegantly pour a bucket of water on him. The image of the board man sputtering and yelping like a kitten at the sudden contact was one Lio had bookmarked in his brain and went to whenever he felt his spirit faltering. Which had been quite often lately, so it was an easy image to recall and replay in his mind's eye.

_How many times do I have to scold him to at least tie it up and put it away before he learns? Maybe the next time his hair catches fire I'll just let it burn to teach him a lesson. Then the fire will solve this conundrum he refuses to address._

Lio nodded at his own logic, content with the conclusion he had just reached. What solidified the legitimacy of his idea being admissible was the portrait he painted in his mind at Galo diving headfirst into a pool of water in order to extinguish himself. What made the spectacle more entertaining was the argument he knew would ensue aftwards. Lio didn't care about that since he believed Galo deserved that level of punishment for rejecting all his offers to cut his hair.

_He doesn't even have to let me cut it! He could just let me pull it out of his face before he goes running literally head first into a wall of flame._

There were a few times Lio was almost successful in sneaking up on him to at least cut his bangs so they were out of his face, but Galo always caught him. Aina even tried to help him once since she had the same concerns as Lio did, but they were thwarted in their attempts every time. Even if Galo wasn't fast enough to slip away from them, he was stronger and larger than the two of them combined. All he had to do was get a hold of one of them to use as a hostage in order to make the other back off.

_And usually he grabs me… Again, I help but think into that. I really wish he'd just tell me how he feels about me._

Lio smirked when he heard the firefighter's voice playfully growling into his ear with threats of cutting **his** hair instead. He also stated that his hair would not suffer the same fate the ex-Burnish's locks did. While Lio was aware Galo was kidding and he'd never actually cut his hair, he was a bit offended that his partner believed Lio was incapable of cutting and styling hair based on the state of his green locks.

_I don't care what he says, my hairstyle is_ _ **not**_ _ridiculous! He just has no taste. Besides, I'd never recreate my style on him. Why would I want him to look like me when I'm more than fine with the way he looks?_

That line of reasoning caused him to turn his head and look at the larger man. He smiled warmly, allowing the heat to inundate him once more, even welcoming it like an old friend since that very much was the case. He wanted to roll over and bury his face in Galo's bear chest, but wasn't sure how that was possible without hurting his hand or waking the other man up. And the last thing he wanted was for Galo to wake up.

_What if he wakes up and realizes what he did was a mistake? What if he regrets it and jumps out of bed before I even had a chance to enjoy it?_

Lio took in a deep breath to calm his gradually growing anxiety then sniffed the air, allowing his nostrils to be filed with a familiar savory scent.

_Did he make pizza soup_ _**again** _ _? Should I tell him I'm getting sick of it?_

Galo was **always** bringing leftover pizza home from the firehouse and since Lio didn't normally eat the greasy food, it usually went unused. Much to Galo's distaste, Lio's diet consisted mostly of vegetables and fruits, so when it came to food that was filled with fatty acids and covered in a slimy substance, he turned it down. The pizza they had earlier that day was an exception to the rule since he had promised Galo he'd give it a try six months ago.

_But even then, I dabbed it with my napkin and only had a few bites. It was good, better than most pizza I've had, but still not my thing._

He sighed as he glanced at the pot he knew was filled with the soup, making sure his movements were subtly so as not to wake the slumbering pulchritudinous man. Lio frowned, then rested his head against the pillow, making sure the back of his head was still leaning against Galo's spacious chest.

_Stil, he does put a lot of effort into it and, despite my dietary tastes, it_ _ **is**_ _good. Probably my favorite thing he makes. I just wish he'd make something different._

Out of the two of them, Galo was definitely the chef, but mostly because he insisted on acting like a culinary artist. Lio did enjoy his cooking, but he didn't understand why the firefighter made it seem like his meals were the end all be all of life.

_Just a part of his personality, I guess. The big lug is quite full of himself._

Lio smirked and snuggled his back further into the man, once again hoping he wouldn't wake him. As he shut his eyes again, he found himself slowly forgetting about what time it was or what was happening in the outside world. Whatever might have been occurring couldn't have been too bad if Galo decided it was safe enough to sleep. Even if their current position **was** an accident, that didn't change the fact that the firefighter felt relaxed and secure enough to rest.

_And maybe I can sleep for a bit longer too. I feel like I never get a restful night's rest with how busy we are… Also with how tormented I am._

Whenever he did sleep, it was never truly fulfilling. His dreams were usually consumed by the nightmares of his past mistakes and his dreaded future without the Promare. Occasionally, the fiery creatures would come back to their universe and possess his spirit again, but they would suddenly turn against him and start taking devious command of his body. They would make him do horrendous acts against both himself and others, but the worst part was when they would force him to cause harm to his precious, dimwitted meathead. He wasn't entirely sure what the dreams meant, but he was slowly starting to figure it out.

_I think maybe it's because I'm still not entirely sure whether or not the Promare were a benevolent force or a malevolent one. They made us cause so much destruction and despair, yet at the same time provided so much comfort and serenity. It torments me to not know the truth and now that they're gone, I don't think I'll ever find my answers._

Lio shook his head and focused all his thoughts on the man whose arms he currently occupied. He didn't want to think about such vexing hypotheses right now. He just wanted to bask in the glory of the other man's heated embrace. Lio hoped that maybe if he kept his mind and heart captivated by the bewitching man behind him, those dreams would all slip away and be replaced by something else.

_A little bit of extra sleep won't hurt. We're still waiting for the doctor, anyway. And that could take several more hours._

He used those thoughts to comfort him to sleep, adjusting himself slightly in Galo's arms and chuckling at the loud snore the other man let out. However, his heart dropped when he felt the firefighter jump and sit up slightly. He felt Galo look around the room frantically, as if he didn't remember where he was and began to inwardly panic.

_It_ _ **was**_ _a mistake, wasn't it? What should I do?! If it was a mistake, I can't let me know I was_ _ **choosing**_ _to stay in his arms. I should pretend to be asleep._

Lio shut his eyes tightly and tried to calm the nerves that were causing him to shake. He felt Galo lean over and look at his face, then held back a longing whimper when the other man tenderly brushed the hair out of his eyes.

Galo chuckled. "And Lio says **I** need a haircut. How am I supposed to tell if he's still sleeping under this mop of green locks!"

Lio growled inwardly.

_Next time, I'm cutting his hair for sure…_

Galo frowned when he saw Lio's face contrast slightly from his words, then smirked wickedly. "You're awake, aren't you, Moon Bug?"

Lio felt his skin go cold at the other man's words. Feeling like he was about to vomit out something inappropriate, Lio chose to respond to his earlier comment. "If you keep making fun of my hair, I'm going to shave you bald in your sleep."

Galo gasped and used one arm to clutch his hair. "You wouldn't dare!"

Lio opened one eye and returned his rambunctious smirk. "Keep your eyes peeled, Meathead."

Galo playfully glared at the man. "Meathead? That's the nickname I get after calling you something as cute as 'Moon Bug'?"

Lio frowned as the larger man glowered teasingly at him, overjoyed Galo had still not removed his arm from his waist, nor separated the proximity of their bodies.

_This is making me think he did it on purpose._

Seeing the man's gaze did not change, he rolled his eyes, pushing the heat rising his chest aside so he could string together a lucid and orderly sentence. "I mean, is it actually cute? It doesn't make any sense to me and the bug part makes me feel like a gross and insignificant spec of a creature. One that does not contribute much in the world or society. Literally the opposite of what I'm trying to accomplish with my life."

_I don't much mind the moon part, but the bug part makes me feel like I don't have a purpose. Or like people naturally hate me._

Galo gave the man a profound frown and adjusted his body so his head was leaning in front of Lio's. "I didn't know it bothered you that much. I can stop if you want, but would you at least hear out my reasoning behind why I call you that?"

Lio blushed brightly, then pouted at the man and looked away. "You actually have **reasoning**?"

Galo rolled his eyes. "Yes. Do you want to hear it, or not?"

Lio sighed. "Fine. If you insist."

_I don't really care what we talk about as long as he stays next to me. I can't believe he hasn't even attempted to move away from me or retreat his arm._

Galo smirked and pulled his head back, laying it on their pillow as he rested his chin on top of the smaller man's head. "Well, moon bug is what we used to call fireflies when I was a kid, and I always liked it better. I also thought it was too corny and obvious to call you that. You used to control fire and even used it to fly. Firefly seems like the clear choice, which is why I didn't go with it."

Lio was beginning to feel guilty about his earlier words, but his stubbornness took over and spoke for him. "Okay, but… at least more people know what a firefly is. I've never heard of a moon bug. The word bug is just… icky."

Galo let loose a boisterous and firm laugh. "Did the ever so eloquent Lio just use the word 'icky' in a sentence?!"

Lio puffed his cheeks and felt the urge to slap the man, but refrained since that would break up their romantic position. "Shut up… Is that the only reason you call me that?"

Lio's true intentions behind his questions were to dig deep into the other man's heart to see if there were feelings other than friendship for him somewhere in the vastness of his firefighting soul.

Galo shook his head, his body remaining where it was as he continued with his logic. He was proud of his nickname for the man, and he was hoping after he explained himself, Lio would permit him to keep calling him that. "The moon part I thought was pretty obvious, yet cleverly inconspicuous. I've always seen the moon as this otherworldly lifeform that was filled with mystery and adventure. Something that I always wanted to explore, but didn't have the smarts to become an astronaut or even an astrophysicist. Who knew being an astronaut required so much math!"

Lio chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Did you think it'd just be fighting fires on the moon?"

Galo frowned and pinched Lio's cheek. "Stop reading my diary! Anyway, the enigma and thrill of the moon always fascinated me to the point of near obsession and I never understood why. I mean, it's really just a rock that's floating through space, isn't it? Yet, why does humanity feel the need to travel there? Why do we want to explore it? Why do we want to know more about it? And why are moon rocks worth millions of dollars? At the end of the day, they're just rocks and yet, all of humanity knows they're more than that."

Galo looked down at Lio as he continued. "All of that reminds me of you. You mesmerize me with your intelligent and logical reasoning that somehow mixes perfectly with adventure and spontaneity. Whenever I'm with you, there's never a dull moment and I find myself wanting to explore more of who you are as a person. I want to venture through more of your thoughts and feelings so I can understand why you are so awesome and why you make me so happy."

Lio felt his eyes widen, then soften when the man finished his sentence. "Oh…"

Galo could tell his partner was starting to understand, but he wasn't done yet. "I used to watch the moon **a lot** as a kid. Like, every single night. That's why you catch me looking at it so much. It brings back great memories, just like you do, and makes me feel invincible, yet vulnerable, just like you do. The moon exemplifies endurance and infiniteness along with enlightenment or the tedium of Mother Nature herself."

He paused to see if Lio was going to say anything, then seeing that he was not, continued. "Some say the phases of the moon reflect the phases of man's situation on earth, since it controls the tides, the rains, the waters, and the seasons. That also reminds me of you, because I feel like you are in so much control of everything around you, and I'm envious of that since I am almost the opposite of that. My life has always been a chaotic mess, so seeing someone as in control as you are boggles my mind!"

Galo smiled down at Lio, seeing the shocked look on his face and laughed again. "The moon has always made me feel things that I didn't understand, which is the same thing you do to me."

_Comparing Lio to the moon is the best way I can describe my feelings for him because they both make me feel amazing, but I don't know why. I want to know more about them, mostly because I want to understand why they make me feel this way._

Lio was frozen in shock. His heart was beating so fast he didn't know how Galo couldn't feel it against his arm. He attempted to speak, even though he was sure his words weren't going to make sense. "Since… when do you speak so…"

Galo smirked. "Smartly?"

Lio sighed and lowered his head. "No. Beautifully. Poignant. But, never mind. You just ruined and negated the astute sentence with the dumb word."

Galo made an offended noise. "Ouch! Is that the thanks I get for comparing you to the moon?!"

Lio smiled warmly and relaxed back into the man, his thoughts going to more amorous ideas upon feeling their bodies were still pressed against each other. "...It's the thanks you get for calling me a bug as well."

Galo rolled his eyes. "I don't understand why you think bugs are insignificant. While they may be 'icky', as you put it they-OUCH! WHAT WAS THE FOR?!"

Lio reached up and pulled Galo's hair that fell against the small man's face the moment he heard the firefighter repeat that awkward word he used moments ago. "Don't remind me of my own language hersey."

Galo pulled his hair out of Lio's grip and decided to retaliate by squashing the petite man's cheeks together with his fingers and forcing his head up so their eyes met. He smirked as he spoke. "Hey, if I can catch the great former leader of the Mad Burnish making a fool of himself, even in the slightest, I'm going to jump on it."

Lio felt his body flare up the implication since it was impossible not to make inferences based on their position and obvious pillow talk.

_Well, obvious pillow talk to me and anyone else that might be listening in. We really do look and sound like lovers right now. Yet, why do I still feel like he's too stupid to see how mauldin his words are?_

Galo's smirk changed into a warm smile. "Do you want to hear why bugs are **not** insignificant or 'icky' in the least?"

Lio narrowed his eyes at the taller man. "As long as you stop using that stupid word, yes."

Galo nodded in confirmation then went on. "Bugs are essential for many ecosystems and they perform a **but load** of important functions. They aerate the soil, pollinate, and control plant pests. Many bugs are scavengers and feed on dead animals and fallen trees, which recycles minerals back into the dirt."

Lio blinked up at the man since he was still scrunching his cheeks together, making it difficult to talk. However, since he never wanted to turn away any of Galo's touches, he refused to say anything that could even potentially make his partner let go. "None of that is new information to me. It's all stuff everyone learned in grade school. What's your point?"

Galo smirked and shook the man's head. "It means that bugs are necessary to make the world function and bloom properly. Which is exactly what I need you for. It's exactly what your presence in my life creates."

Lio was shocked once again by his words, not sure how to respond. Galo **never** spoke like that to **anyone**.

_There_ _ **has**_ _to be something going on that made him practically spew poetry at me… There just_ _ **has**_ _to be._

Lio swallowed thickly, trying to control himself from throwing himself at the other man and locking their lips together in a heated embrace. "Galo… what's… what's gotten into you? Where did… all that come from?"

Galo frowned at the thought, puzzlement taking over his handsome features as he finally let go of Lio's face and rested his head back against the pillow. "I don't know… That really **was** weird wasn't it?" He thought for a few more minutes, then smiled back down at the green haired man's head. "It's just one of the many things you bring out in me that I don't understand. It's why I like spending time with you. Because you make me a better man."

Lio tilted his head up so he could see Galo's face, the fire blazing in his chest and raging war on his insides as he tried to read his companion's emotions. It turned out to be an impossible feat since it was obvious Galo didn't understand what he was feeling either. It was clear by the look on his face that the firefighter knew he cared about Lio more than anyone else, but he didn't know why. As much as Lio wanted to peg and name the emotions himself, he knew that would be selfish and egotistical.

_Who am I to label his emotions as something they may not be? If… If he does… love me the way… I love him… then he needs to come to that conclusion on his own. I can't be the one to make him say it._

Lio was surprised at his own thoughts, since it was the first time he had openly admitted how he felt about Galo without much of a fight from himself. He normally used different words that were similar to love, but not exactly the same. Words that he could easily cover up later through self denial and stubbornness. However, after seeing Galo's passionate blue eyes shine brightly with hidden ardency and wholly absorbing his divinely poetic words, it was impossible for Lio to not embrace the truth of what he felt for the man.

… _I love him. I am absolutely, head over heels, gaga crazy in love with Galo Thymos. And now I feel a bit less silly admitting it since he could very well feel the same way about me._

Lio twitched and resisted another urge to throw himself at the man, contenting himself with Galo's company, heat, along with the beautiful vision he graciously provided.

_But… I can't force those emotions on him. Even if they are in there and everyone can see them, I won't name them for him. He needs to do that on his own._

Lio opened his mouth and almost regurgitated his inner thoughts, but stopped himself as another irritating thought occurred to him.

_Galo's_ _ **terrible**_ _with emotions… Even if our feelings may be mutual, he still clearly doesn't understand what's going on. And… if I tell him how I feel, he might not react well since it doesn't seem like he's ready for that._

Love was an insanely concupiscent, cyclonic, and confoundingly complex sensation for anyone to feel, let alone someone as impulsive and immature as Galo. While the firefight may have returned his feelings, the fact that he was unable to say them or even properly identify them meant he wasn't **ready** to experience such an intense emotion. His subconscious self may have been protecting his conscious self since deep down, Galo may have known he wasn't prepared to handle those feelings.

_**I'm**_ _having a hard time learning to cope with them and I usually have a good grasp on all aspects of life including emotions. Sure, I acted rashly years ago, but I had good reason for it. And it didn't happen overnight. My feelings of anger towards the world took years to brew until I was finally pushed to my limits…_

He knew the level of his feelings for Galo were close to the level of his unprecedented and slightly unsound emotions he had while he was taking on the governor, but he felt more prepared to control them now before they burst out of him like a fiery dragon. The fact that letting them loose might somehow hurt Galo or push him away only made it all the more important he kept his feelings in check. Especially if his firefighting companion wasn't ready to admit his love yet.

_...I'll wait for him. As long as it takes, I'll wait for him to be ready. And when he is, I'll be here to welcome him with open arms._

Lio felt a renewed feeling cleanse his troubled heart as a bit of hope flickered deep within his soul. The idea that his firefighting fool was beginning to crystallize his returning feelings of love, put Lio a bit more at ease. Sure, he still felt burdened by the missing chunk in his soul left by the Promare, but at least now his emotional strife was slightly abated.

The petite man smiled as he settled the back of his head against Galo's chest. As much as he wanted to keep the mawkish talk going, he had a feeling doing so would force Lio's feelings out of him and decided to tease the man instead. That way the conversation stayed intimate, yet at the same time was flirtatious and friendly.

_A combination of emotions that seems to work well with Galo._

Lio smirked, even though he knew Galo couldn't see it as he addressed the pot of soup sitting in the kitchen. "If I make you a better man, then how about you make a better meal?"

Galo lifted his head and blinked. "You don't like the soup? I thought you loved it! Why didn't you tell me sooner you hated my cooking?! WHY ARE YOU SO CRUEL, LIO!?"

Lio chuckled and rolled his eyes at the man's dramatic statement. "It's not that I don't like it, I just feel like that's all we ever have. Didn't you literally just make some last night? And the night before that?"

Galo frowned in thought, then sighed when he realized his partner was right. "But, pizza is **amazing!** Why wouldn't you want to have it every day?"

Lio sighed in frustration. "Because I don't feel like gaining a hundred pounds in fat."

Galo laughed and squeezed the man's side. "You could stand to gain a few pounds! Just look at how small you are! That's another reason why I call you moon **bug** and not moon elephant."

Lio rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the smirk on his face at his partner's terrible joke. However, when he felt Galo's hand squeeze his side, he flinched slightly and blinked his eyes in confusion.

_Huh. That was weird. I know I enjoy it when he touches me, but I normally don't twitch like_ _**that.** _

Deciding it was nothing, Lio shrugged it off and continued with his earlier thoughts. "This coming from the man who eats his weight in pizza almost every single day? You're lucky you're still young and blessed with an amazing metabolism. Otherwise, you'd be more than just a bumbling idiot, you'd be a flabby pig."

Galo made a shocked sound that very clearly was meant to be taken as sarcastic. "Are you fat shaming me?"

Lio snickered and turned his head to face the other man. "Like you're any better with your skinny shaming. Besides, if you actually **listened** to my sentence instead of reacting to it, you'd know I specifically said that you are **not** fat and I'm impressed because of how much fatty foods you eat."

Galo laughed and poked the man's side. "Sorry, not all of us enjoy rabbit food. Maybe I should start calling you Moon Rabbit instead."

Lio flinched again at the touch, confused once more at why that kept happening, but moved on from it promptly in order to address the man. "No thanks. I don't feel like being at the bottom of the food chain. Moon Bug is fine."

Galo smirked and poked his side again. "Can I get that in writing?"

Again, Lio jerked at the motion, beginning to worry he hurt his side unknowingly when he was saving that woman from the falling building, but decided to ignore the reaction instead. "Got a pen in those oversized pants of yours? Hard to tell what you've got hidden in there with all that fabric to cover you up."

Lio was kind of hoping Galo picked up on the obvious sexual overtones within his statement, but had a feeling he wouldn't. If the firefighter was dense enough to ignore how bawdy the positions of their body were, then he was certainly obtuse enough to not realize Lio had taken his flirting up a notch. Still, that didn't stop Lio from hoping, and he turned his head even more so he had a better view of the man's face.

He frowned in bewilderment at the odd look Galo was giving him, baffled by the slight mischievousness he saw in the larger man's eyes. "Galo? What's wrong?"

_**Did**_ _he pick up on my comment and is thinking about acting on it…?! Or is he thinking about heading for the hills because I put too much pressure on too soon?_

Galo's intent eyes were staring at Lio curiously, as if he was trying to work something out in his head. As if testing the waters in a rapid river, Galo poked Lio's side again. He cocked an eyebrow when the man flinched again and repeated his gesture. Seeing another twitch, he poked him with two fingers instead, then added a third which he wiggled around. Beginning to put the pieces together, Galo smirked and allowed all five of his fingers to crawl against the former Burnish's side, waiting to see what his response was going to be.

Lio's laugh started out small and quiet, but slowly gained speed and volume as Galo's fingers wriggled and wormed against his pale skin. He tried to move his body away from the other man, his desire to be close to Galo no longer enough to keep him rooted to the spot. His dignity meant more to him than his need to be close to the firefighter.

As soon as he tried to squirm away, Galo wrapped his arm tighter around his waist and pinned Lio against his torso once again. He smiled proudly as he held the man still, his fingers never stopping their tickling motions as Lio desperately tried to free himself from the larger man's grasp. Lio grabbed Galo's wrist and tried to yank it away, but the other man was too strong for him. Added to that, he only had one hand to work with, which made his struggles all the more futile.

Lio's eyes were burning with the tears that fell from his eyes, his lungs begging for oxygen as he laughed and toiled wildly in the other man's hold. "S-STOP! G-GALO, KNOCK IT OFF!"

Galo smirked and flipped the man on his back, straddling his waist and pinning his uninjured arm to the bed with his knee. He slipped both his hands against Lio's stomach, the tips of his fingers gliding riotously against the soft fabric of his shirt. Lio's face was a bright shade of red from all the laughter he was emitting, his creamy white cheeks stained with the salty liquid as he struggled for freedom beneath the man. A part of him wanted to enjoy the fact that Galo was straddling his waist, but the other part that desperately wanted to keep his honor intact fought for sanctuary.

"G-GALO, NO! G-GET OFF!" Lio managed to spit out between fits of laughter, arching his back slightly in hopes that would help. It was no use, Galo was too big.

Galo smirked and moved his fingers faster. "Consider this revenge for insulting me and the food I enjoy!"

Lio shook his head and shrieked even louder, starting to worry their neighbors might think something was seriously wrong and call for help. "I-I d-didn't mean i-it! I-I'm sorry! I-I'm sorry!"

Galo suddenly stopped, but did not move his hands away. "Do you mean it?"

Lio panted wildy and nodded his head frantically, swallowing thickly as he tried to regain his breath and his composure. "Y-yes… yes, I mean it. If the punishment for insulting your revere is **that** , then consider me at your mercy."

Galo's smirk widened and he leaned back, folding his arms across his chest as he gazed triumphantly down at his captive. "Good… I'm going to keep that in mind for the future."

As he continued to try and catch his breath, Lio was finally able to appreciate the fact that Galo was sitting on top of him. The heat from earlier began to rise in his chest once more, except now it was coming back with a vengeance. As if it was trying to chastise him for ignoring it in favor of his dignity earlier. What made his embarrassing and vulnerable situation slightly less awkward was the fact that Galo's face and demeanor didn't seem much better off than his was. His heroic, yet dimwitted partner had a look of a deer caught in the headlights. As if he wasn't sure what to do about their current situation.

"Galo?" Lio asked again, unable and unwilling to move from underneath the man. "Are you alright?"

Galo saw Lio's lips moving, but only because his eyes had locked back onto them just as they did when the petite man was sleeping. The heat in his chest was expanding to his stomach, plunging his body into a fierce pool of fire he never wanted to leave. As his brian tried to work out what exactly he was feeling, his body moved on its own again as he reached a hand out towards Lio's face. He cupped the other man's cheek slightly, his eyes continuing to unblinkingly linger on Lio's supple lips.

Lio felt his breath catching and his pulse quicken when Galo cupped his cheek.

_Wait, am I wrong? Is he about to act on his unidentified feelings?_

The former Burnish tried to push aside the harsh scorching in his chest so he could focus on reading Galo's face. Judging by the perplexed, yet slightly carnal look in his eyes, Lio could tell he wasn't thinking about what he was doing. He was acting on instincts. Despite that, Lio didn't see the harm in letting the man continue.

_I did just say I'd wait for him. And if he's deciding to take this moment to test his feelings, why should I stop him? This feels… natural. This feels_ _**right** _ _._

Still, he wanted to make sure Galo was okay and tried to question him again, making sure his voice stayed steady as he spoke. "Galo? What are you thinking?"

Again, Galo saw Lio's lips move, but did not fully comprehend what he was saying. His hand had moved from the smaller man's cheek and to his hair, tangling lightly within its green tresses, dancing elegantly through Lio's uniquely colored locks. He leaned forward on his other hand, moving their bodies closer together which increased the heated sensation that seemed to be ever present in his body when Lio was near.

_What the hell is wrong with me? Am I getting sick? No, no I never get sick. Besides, this doesn't feel like a sick feeling. This is… pleasant. Like the heat I was feeling before except stronger._

As he moved his body closer, his eyes drifted only momentarily from Lio's lips to his hair, admiring the peculiar hue for just a second before landing on the man's slightly liden and awaiting eyes. Galo wasn't sure what he was waiting for, but he had a feeling if he kept going the way he was, he was going to figure it out soon enough. As he concentrated fully on Lio's lavender irises, he could see the bit of anticipation and excitement forming there, which for some reason caused the man's emotions to reflect within Galo's chest.

_...What_ _ **is**_ _this feeling? Why can't I figure it out? Am I really_ _ **that**_ _dense?_

"Lio…?" Galo questioned as he hovered above the man, his fingers lost in his partner's green locks, his eyes glossed over in a dreamlike trance.

Lio's heart skipped a beat at the tone of voice Galo used even though he was aware the other man couldn't tell how ardent his voice sounded. "Yes, Galo?"

Galo swallowed and licked his lips, not sure why his body continued moving forward, but again deciding he didn't want to question his instincts. "What're you…" His eyes drifted away from Lio's eyes and to his broken hand, watching as his finger twitched slightly in pain.

That was enough to thrust him out of his euphoric state, worry and dread raining down on him as he remembered the condition of the man's hand. He frowned and changed the question he was going to ask Lio, no longer even remembering what it was as he sat himself up and took a gentle hold of the other man's bandaged limb.

"How's your hand?"

Lio blinked rapidly at the sudden change in Galo's disposition. He went from what clearly looked like moments away from pillaging his body to gently fondling his broken arm.

_Talk about a tease… If this is what the future is going to hold for his blissfully ignorant mind, then maybe my earlier thoughts are wrong. Maybe I_ _ **can't**_ _just sit back and wait. I wonder if any of his friends will help unmuddle his thoughts. They seem awfully supportive._

Lio sighed when he realized Galo was not going to continue his previous actions. It was confirmed in his pining mind when the large man moved his knee and therefore freeing his other arm. However, he did not remove himself from his straddle position, which Lio wasn't going to correct or scold him for.

Frowning, he finally responded to the firefighter. "It's okay. It hurts a little, but that's nothing I'm not used to. I've had worse and you know it. Need I remind you of that night six months ago?"

Galo sighed and shuddered at the image of the man disappearing. It plagued his nightmares almost every night. "How could I forget?" He brought the arm closer to his eyes and squinted. "Did the pain medicine help?"

Lio nodded. "Yeah. However, it's hard to tell if I took too many or not enough. How long was I sleeping for?"

Galo frowned and reached in his pocket with his unoccupied hand to check the time on his phone. "A few hours. Don't worry, not much has happened. Aina even texted me to let me know they still had it under control and you could keep rest-OH WAIT! I ALMOST FORGOT!"

Lio jumped at the man's sudden exclamation, wondering if there had been some form of bad news Galo forgot to tell him about. "What?! What is it?! Is something wrong?!"

Galo pulled up the pictures on his phone and shoved it in the smaller man's shocked face. "No! The exact opposite in fact! We have a **bird's nest** outside our window! Look!"

Lio blinked at the phone, moving his head back slightly since Galo put it too close to his face. He took the device from his partner, leaning up on his uninjured hand so he had a better angle of the picture. His heart fluttered at the sight of the small avian creatures being coddled by their mother and his lips curved upwards in a warm smile.

"That's a columbidae. A type of dove pigeon hybrid bird. That has to be a sign…"

Galo tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Lio's warm smile did not leave his lips as he spoke. "For someone who knows the emotional symbolism of the moon and its phases, I thought you'd know the emblematic meaning behind doves and pigeons."

Galo frowned. "I don't know much about birds or animals in general. The only reason I knew that about the moon is because I'm fascinated by it. I only learn and read about things that really interest me."

Lio chuckled and handed Galo his phone back. "Well, if we're going to have bird guests for a while, then I suggest you look them up. It's only fair that we give them the respect they deserve."

Galo shrugged his shoulders and pocketed his phone. "Sure, I guess. Or you could just tell me and spare me the reading."

Lio rolled his eyes and laid back down on the bed, reveling in the view Galo seemed willing to provide for him.

_I'm not about to tell him to move. Since I've decided to let him take the lead, I may as well sit back and at least try to enjoy the ride._

"Most people think pigeons are pests or rats with wings, but as a totem animal, they actually represent love and sacrifice. Considering how much we've sacrificed to save the Burnish people, I can't help but think it's a sign that we did the right thing six months ago."

Galo frowned at his companion. "Have you been questioning that?"

Lio shrugged his shoulders. "A little? I've mostly been questioning locking away the Promare since I feel like that's causing all these fluxes in the weather. I mean, I know we did the right things because humanity is free, but I still don't know if they're safe."

Galo figured that was the best time to try and brooch the subject of what was wrong with his friend. "Is that what's been bothering you?"

Lio looked away quickly and ignored the question in favor of continuing his statement. "...The symbolism of the dove comforts me a little since it's apparently living right outside our window."

Galo sat back on his knees, sighing in frustration when he realized Lio wasn't going to answer his questions.

_I'll try again later, I guess._

Galo still did not roll off the other man as he spoke. "And what does the dove symbolize?"

Lio chuckled, relieved Galo let his question go and continued. "I thought **everyone** knew the meaning of the dove, but I guess you only really care about space rocks and fighting fires." Seeing the steadfast look in Galo's eyes was the only answer the petite man needed before he went on. "Like the pigeon, the dove also represents love. It's kind of ironic that we have one bird that's mixed with two different birds who represent the same emotion."

_I can't help but think that's a sign as well. One bird for Galo and me combining together to create a beautiful new form of life. It_ _ **has**_ _to be a sign of our future with one another._

Galo gave him a puzzled look, but the fire in his chest intensified at the use of the word love.

_Love, huh?_

Galo cocked an eyebrow at the man. "What's ironic about it?"

Lio chuckled and shook his head. "Nothing, don't worry about it. It's the other meaning of the dove that gives me hope." He smiled up at Galo. "Peace. With just one bird, we have three powerful and sanguine emotions sitting right outside our door: Sacrifice to represent everything we've given up as a people in order to make sure the Burnish were free, peace to represent the future we are rebuilding the city for, and love for the shared emotion we all need to have in our hearts in order for it to happen."

He looked wistfully out the window, ignoring the snow that still fell despite the summer season, picturing the bird and her babies in his mind's eyes. "The very fact that the bird has even stuck around this long when all the others have left is a sign as well. And it looks like she has her babies with her too. If she's willing to tough it out for this long, then we can as well."

_And this simple, yet beautiful creature has also personified and hopefully foreshadows my relationship with Galo. We've sacrificed more than anyone else to keep humanity and ourselves free, yet still battle with our inner demons that seem intent on keeping us chained. We fought for peace side by side, yet he and I are still struggling to obtain it within our own hearts and partnership. And we are both raging war with love in our own ways._

Lio knew all that was true, but the fact that the bird was there gave him hope for the future, and for the first time in six months, he didn't feel an ounce of anxiety or fear. With just one small, seemingly insignificant critter, Lio was filled with promise and ambition. With that bird, he felt his worries gently waft away, dissipating the same way the fire Burnish spirit did six months ago.

_It's a sign. It_ _**has** _ _to be._

Galo was transfixed on Lio's blissful face yet again. He could see a bit of his friend's old self come back, and he couldn't help but marvel at the beauty his partner took on whenever he spoke passionate words.

_Wait, did I just admit he was beautiful? Well, I mean I guess it's true, but there's just something about the way I reacted to it that confuses me._

Again, he decided to ignore his thoughts and responded to the man's contemplative statement instead. "Does this mean you're going to stop being such a Debby Downer?"

Lio cocked an eyebrow at him. "A Debby Downer?"

Galo nodded. "Yes. It's an expression. You haven't heard of it?"

Lio rolled his eyes. "I have. I just don't agree that's what I've been. Besides, I can't let hope take a hold of me too much. I need to stay realistic if we're going to keep this city moving forward and eventually find out what's going on with the weather. I'll leave the daydreaming and optimistic thoughts to you."

Galo chuckled and pinched his cheek. "Aww, geeze, thanks!" He leaned back and snickered as the smaller man rubbed his cheek. He glanced behind him out the window, noticing the snow had stopped and was replaced by rain. "Still, it's nice, isn't it? A convenient little reminder for us not to give up hope sitting right outside our window. And it's raising a family!"

Lio smiled fondly up at Galo. "Yeah… It's a great reminder of the future…"

Galo didn't hear the fanciful tone in Lio's voice and turned back to him quickly. "We should name them!"

Lio blinked. "The birds?"

Galo nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Why not?"

The former Burnish frowned. "Because then we'll get attached… And like I said, I still need to be a realist. And they could still di-"

Galo stopped his partner's words by clamping his hand over Lio's mouth and gave him a stern glare. "Don't use the 'D' word! And it's too late from getting attached to them! I'm already attached."

Lio rolled his eyes behind the hand, pushing it away slightly so he could talk, a small smile on his face as he did so. "Fine, we'll name them. What did you have in mind?"

Galo took his hand back and gripped his chin lightly, tapping his finger on his cheek as he thought. "I like Rue for the red one and Blue for the blue one. But the last baby is all white, so I have no ideas for that."

Lio smirked. "Are you trying to make them rhyme so you don't forget them?"

Galo blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Maybe…"

Lio giggled and attempted to help the man out. "What about Tzu? That's a unique name and rhymes. It may not have anything to do with its color, but at least this way you might remember it."

Galo tossed the name around in his mind, then nodded. "I like it! That just leaves momma bird!"

Lio sighed, but giggled quietly at the cuteness his partner was displaying. "You're really all about these birds, aren't you?"

Galo nodded more enthusiastically. "Of course I am! Especially after seeing how happy they made you!"

Lio blushed prettily, then shook his head. "Why do you have to say things like that…?"

Galo frowned at him. "Say things like what?"

Lio was about to try and cover up his words, but stopped when he heard someone knocking at their door. He frowned at the door, not sure who it could be then looked back at Galo as his booming voice called the person in.

"It's open!"

Lio's eyes widened when Galo said that. "It is?! You didn't lock it?!"

Galo frowned down at him. "No. Why would I?"

Lio gestured to their current position as if that was proof. "I don't know, privacy?!"

Galo was still confused. "We don't do anything that requires privacy."

Lio's entire face turned red.

_Not yet we don't!_

Seeing the person didn't come in, Galo shouted again, a bit louder that time. "I SAID IT'S OPEN! COME IN!"

Lio's eyes widened as he sat up, not sure why Galo was inviting the unknown person in while he was still on top of him. "WAIT! Let me get decent at least first!"

Galo laughed. "You look fine! Besides, it's probably just the doctor."

Before Lio could object, the door opened revealing a small woman who looked to be in about her forties. She had short black hair and bright green eyes with crows feet on either side of her shining orbs. She stepped into the room, then stopped when she saw the men were laying in the bed with each other, Galo's legs still straddling Lio's waist as she stepped closer. Lio's face showed complete and utter embarrassment while Galo didn't seem to notice how suggestive their situation was.

The woman gave them a confused look when she saw neither of them were moving. "Am I interrupting something?"

Galo shook his head and invited the woman to come closer. "Not at all! Perfect timing, actually. Do you know any good bird names?"

The woman stopped in her steps again, confused at how perplexing her encounter with the men had already been despite only having been there for a few seconds. "What?"

Galo smirked and pointed out the window. "We have birds! We need a name for the mama!"

The woman blinked in confusion, then glanced at Lio who seemed to be mortified, yet amused at the same time. She frowned and took a step closer to him, knowing he was the patient and not wanting to spend much time there. "I don't know much about birds and I'm not very creative, so I think you're asking the wrong person. However, my sister's childhood friend used to have a pet bird she named Kiwi."

Galo's eyes lit up at that name. "Oooh, I like Kiwi."

Lio sighed and placed his hand out for the doctor to look at it. "Kiwi is too cliche. If we want to be original, then we have to think outside of the box."

Galo rolled his eyes and finally climbed off the man so the woman would work. "Fine, but does it have to rhyme?"

Lio sat himself up as the doctor looked at his arm. "You tell me. **You're** the one that was doing the rhyming thing so your ADHD brain could hold onto the knowledge."

Galo stuck his tongue out at Lio, then walked over to the stove to tend to his soup, turning the stove back on to warm it up again. "Oh, you're **so** funny. Close your mouth hole and let the doctor do her job!"

Lio rolled his eyes and winced slightly as the woman undid his bandages to get a better look. "Said the man with the loudest, most grating voice I have ever heard."

Galo turned quickly to the man, stirring the pot as he glared at him. "You are so cruel. You know you love my voice."

Lio giggled and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever you need to tell yourself to help you sleep at night."

Lio yelped slightly when Galo flicked some of the soup at him, being sure to avoid the doctor as he spoke. "How can such rude words leave such an otherwise innocent face?"

The ex-Burnish blushed, then wiped away the bits of soup that splattered on him. "You know I'm more than just a pretty face."

Galo smiled and turned back to his food, speaking his inner thoughts out loud. "Yeah… yeah, I know."

Lio smiled fondly at the man's back, forgetting all about the pain the woman's fingers were causing his broken limb.

_He's so cute..._

The doctor's snicker brought Lio's attention back to her and he blushed lightly. She gave him a knowing look, then asked a question he wasn't prepared for. "How long have you two been together?"

Lio's mouth dropped and his eyes widened, not sure how to answer the question.

"Six months!"

Lio turned wildly at the cheery and carefree voice, staring in astonishment at the man for answering what was very obviously a relationship status question. "WHAT?!"

Galo frowned at Lio over his shoulder. "Why do you sound so confused? It's true, isn't it? We've been friends and partners for about six months now, right?"

_Honestly, I'm a little offended at his inability to say out loud what our relationship is. What's so difficult about saying we're partners?_

Galo was comforted by the fact that Lio had been able to tell the reporter they were partners, but he could tell that even that was taken out of context.

_Although, I'm not sure how 'partners' could be taken in any other way than what the word means. It means we work together on all things. What's so difficult to understand?_

The doctor smiled at Galo and nodded. "That's sweet. You guys are cute. And it looks like your partner was able to act pretty quickly on your injury. Thanks to him, it's in pretty good shape."

Galo turned the stove off then walked back over to the duo. "What kind of break is it?"

The doctor dug in her bag to get some pain medicine for the man along with the supplies she needed to cast his wrist. "It's a simple fracture and it doesn't look like it will require surgery. You did a good job keeping it stable and I can tell you've been keeping it elevated."

Lio nodded and gestured to Galo as she propped his elbow up and began casting his wrist. "You can thank that lughead's first aid knowledge. He's useful for **some** things, I guess."

Lio snickered as Galo leaned over the woman to pinch his nose. "Don't think just because you're injured I'm going to be nice to you!"

Lio smiled cheekily at him. "You're always nice to me."

Galo rolled his eyes and stepped back over to the stove. "Shut up and stay still so the woman can do her work."

Lio turned back to the woman. "You can really cast it right here?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes. And considering how full the hospitals are right now, I don't really have a choice. There's actually more room here than in most rooms over there."

Lio frowned and felt his guilt return. "Is it… that bad?"

_The earthquakes always end up being the worst case scenario since the city is still falling apart. They just cause even more damage to the already damaged city._

The woman sighed. "It **was** , but it looks like the first responders were able to find all the injured people. It also doesn't look like there were any casualties, so as long as nothing else crazy happens, we should be in the clear for the day. And despite the lack of space we have, we've got it under control. That's why I was finally able to break away and come here. Everyone at the hospital is stable."

Lio was comforted only slightly by that. While he was happy to hear no one was dead and they managed to find and tend to everyone that was injured, he was concerned that another rapid change in the weather would occur and cause more devastation.

_And right now, it sounds like we're just vulnerable enough for it to do even more serious damage._

"That's… good to hear. But, let's get you out of here quickly so you can go back to the people that really need you."

_And hopefully give us time to recover a bit more so we can go out and lend a hand._

Galo's ears perked when he heard the melancholy in his partner's voice, and glanced over his shoulder at the petite man, frowned sympathetically at him. "Lio… don't blame yourself…"

Lio turned his head from the doctor's work and blinked at Galo. "What?"

Galo sighed as he stirred the soup. "I said don't blame yourself. It's not your fault you were injured. That woman and her daughter are safe now because of you."

Lio felt his heart lift at the man's encouraging words and found himself nodding his head even though he didn't really feel any better. He just couldn't resist that adorable smile Galo was giving him. "Thanks, Galo…"

Galo smirked and nodded, turning back to his soup. There was only a moment of silence as the doctor continued casting Lio before another knock could be heard at the door. Instead of telling whoever it was to enter, Galo turned the stove off again, set his spatula down, and walked over to the door. Lio couldn't see what he was doing since the door was down a short hallway, but he could hear the man talking to someone, thanking them, then closing the door quickly.

Lio and the doctor both jumped as the man leapt back into the room and over to the bed, a bouquet of yellow daisies and white roses in his hand. He bowed slightly as he handed them to Lio. "For you, my dear partner."

Lio's face changed hues for the millionth time that day at the idea that Galo had gotten him flowers. "Wh-what's this…?"

Noticing Lio couldn't move because the doctor was still working on him, Galo placed them on his lap, then laid on the bed next to him. "I don't know. Just read the card."

Lio's bright demeanor dimmed slightly when he realized they weren't from Galo. Frowning, he took the card and read it, then released a dainty smile at what it said. The handwriting was definitely that of a child's, so Lio knew right away who it was from.

_Dear Mr. F,_

_Thank you soooooo much for saving me and my mommy. We both are very happy you did that. Enjoy the flowers I picked out myself!_

_Love,_

_Mia_

_P.S. My mommy says you are your partner are really cute._

Lio giggled at that last sentence, then handed the card to Galo since he knew he'd just pester him to read it anyway. He also knew the blue-eyed man wouldn't understand the implication of the statement at the end, but there was still a small part of him that hoped he would. He figured that maybe if he heard enough people say it, the idea of their coupling would solidify in his mind.

Galo took the card and smiled at the message, then smacked Lio on the head with it. "See? Everyone's okay and you did the right thing. So stop being such a Debby Downer."

Lio rolled his eyes and hit the man's chest with his uninjured hand. "Stop calling me that."

Galo smirked, leaned back against the headboard, and crossed his ankles. "Guess this really means you do prefer Moon Bug after all, huh?"

Lio blushed and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess so…"

The doctor giggled and finished her casting, then began packing up her things. "It should heal in about six to eight weeks. Continue keeping it elevated and take the pain medicine as needed. Sorry to keep our interaction so brief, but I do want to get back to the hospital. They only gave me a few hours to check in on you."

Galo leaned forward to look at the woman. "That's all? What if it was worse?!"

The woman sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "That's what I said, but when they heard who it was, they knew they needed to send someone out here, but were confident you were okay. Guess they just thought you were strong enough to handle it."

Galo wanted to protest, but was stopped by Lio's hand covering his mouth. He gave the blue haired man a warning looking, then turned back to the doctor. "And their logic was flawless. Now get going before my partner talks your ear off."

Galo frowned at the petite man, then watched as the woman nodded, bowed politely, then left the room. When he heard the door close, Lio took his hand away and sighed. "Honestly, you don't need to defend me all the time. I'm **glad** they put everyone else first. I really didn't want to be a burden and I didn't want to take up much of her time. It makes me happy to hear that was the case."

Galo stared down at the man for a couple of seconds while he thought about his words, then sighed and leaned his side into Lio. "Whatever you say, Moon Bug."

Lio's eyes widened and the wave of heat washed through him once again at the simple contact. But, as usually, he was unable to turn away any of Galo's touches so he found himself leaning into the man as well. He lifted his chin so he could rest it between the taller man's neck and shoulder, turning his body slightly so he was more settled into the firefighter's arm.

_Even if he subconsciously isn't ready to say his feelings out loud, it's good enough to know his body wants to portray his emotions. If I can keep being close to him like this, maybe I_ _ **can**_ _wait._

Lio decided not to make any promises to himself on the matters of his and Galo's heart. Right now, he thought it was best to allow nature to take its course and let their relationship work itself out organically. As difficult as it was for him to not have a plan, their precarious and unpredictable predicament seemed to call for the change in his usually methodical mindset.

Just as Lio was shutting his eyes and beginning to fall back asleep against the man, his phone rang and threw him out of his stupor. The top of his head hit Galo's chin, making the taller man bite his tongue and grabbed his mouth.

Galo clutched his face and tried to speak. "Thm mhm mgh bhmg mh tmhmhm!"

Lio rubbed his head and squinted at the man. "What?"

Galo stuck his tongue out and pointed to it, then to him accusingly. Lio rolled his eyes and reached for his phone. "Oh, get over it. You'll survive. It's not like you have any broken bones or anything."

Galo frowned with his tongue still out, reaching for Lio's new pain medicine as his partner answered the call. Noticing his friend's glass was empty, quite literally rolled off the bed and made his way to the sink. He crossed his eyes and looked down at his tongue, growling when he noticed it was bleeding. Before he returned to Lio with the glass and pill, he stuck his injured tongue under the water, wincing and hissing slightly when it made contact with his wound.

When he was finished, he turned off the water, then walked back to his partner, noticing the phone call was already over. Galo tilted his head in confusion at the shocked look Lio's face took on and handed him the pill and glass off water.

"Whm wasm thhath?"

Lio was able to work out what his roommate was saying and took the glass and pill from his hands. He downed the medicine quickly, but mostly out of a need to get rid of the headache caused from the person he was speaking to. "That was Biar. She wants to talk."

Galo's eyes widened and his face paled. "What…?"

Biar had been the one to half step into the role of governor since Kray's defeat. While she was not acknowledged as the true governor since many blamed her for not stopping Kray, the other politicians of the city understood they needed someone who knew how the office worked to stick around. At least until they could have an official election and pick the next authentic ruler of their city.

She stated that she had plans to actually run for governor, which was one of the reasons why Galo was pushing Lio so hard to run against her. While Biar had her fair share of supporters, people who believed she was just following orders and didn't truly know what Kray was up to, there was also a vast majority of people who thought she should have been arrested along with Kray. People who knew the full truth about what happened and wanted to clear out anyone who had anything to do with the former governor.

_That goes for Aina's sister as well. But, she left before anyone could call for her removal. Still, it is_ _ **beyond**_ _me how anyone could still openly support Biar after what she witnessed and turned a blind eye to. And I_ _ **know**_ _she knew what Kray was really up too…_

There were still even some people who supported Kray and demanded he be released from prison. It both baffled and pained Galo to see people support someone who had been so closed minded, judgemental, hypocritical, and bigoted even after he was convicted of murder. And those were the same people who somehow managed to blame Galo and Lio entirely for the destruction of their city.

_And I thought I used to be closed minded… These people are_ _ **really**_ _dense if they're going to support a segregationist who used to torture burnish for his own selfish means._

Still, some people saw what Kray was doing as a necessary evil and believed he and Lio had doomed them all by locking the Promare away. It seemed like no matter what aggressive and offensive rhetoric that man spewed out of his gaping maw, there was always someone to stand up and defend what he had to say. His supporters continued making excuse after excuse for the man, explaining away any of his unsightly and monstrous behavior, even when he was behind bars for muder.

_I guess I can't say I'm any better though… I used to follow that man like a lost puppy looking for its master. It wasn't until Lio stepped into my life did I see him for the villain he truly was._

Galo shook his head of his own thoughts and frowned at his partner who was seemingly lost in his own. Galo sat on the bed next to him, taking the petite man's uninjured hand in his own as he spoke. "What does she want to talk about?"

Lio looked down at the strong hand that held his, then met Galo's gaze. Lavender locked onto blue as he spoke in a steady, yet soft tone. "She wants to talk about the climate changes… among other things…"

Galo cocked an eyebrow at that last statement and gently rubbed his thumb against the back of Lio's hand. "What other things?"

Lio sighed and shook his head, wrapping his fingers around Galo's as he spoke. "I don't know, but when does that woman ever say anything that's comforting or clear?"

Galo lowered his head. "True…" He slowly raised his eyes and met Lio's once more. "What are you gonna do?"

Lio blinked at him. "What do you think I'm gonna do? I'm gonna accept of course! The weather is turning out to be a bigger problem than anyone anticipated and if I can get an inside scoop as to what's going on, I'm going to. I don't trust that woman as far as I can throw her, so if there's even the slightest chance that she's cooking up some sort of scheme, I want to know about it."

Galo smiled warmly at his partner and nodded. "Right, then I'm coming with you."

Lio opened his mouth to object, then shut it quickly and nodded his head.

_Why would I object to that? Of course I want him there._

Lio smiled and squeezed Galo's hand. "Damn right you are. I'm not going to such a tense gathering without my partner."

Galo smirked. "When is the meeting?

LIo sighed and laid back on the bed. "In a week. They said they want to 'give me time to recover'."

Galo rolled his eyes. "Even though they know that will take more than a week..."

Lio brushed his words aside. "Whatever. Doesn't matter. I'd rather it be sooner than later."

Galo gave him a cheeky smile, then stood up to serve them both soup. "Alright! Now that you're all bandaged up, let's eat!"

Lio sighed as he watched the man walk away, his hand suddenly feeling empty at the loss of Galo's limb. He looked longingly up at the man and frowned. "Only if you agree to cook something different tomorrow."

Galo smirked from over his shoulder at the smaller man. "No promises, Moon Bug."

Lio rolled his eyes and leaned back into the bed, deciding to content himself on the image of Galo serving him food. It was the best thing he could do to distract himself from his whirling and stress filled thoughts.

_Worrying won't get me anywhere right now. I need to calm down and get my thoughts together before I meet with her._

Lio smiled warmly as Galo handed him a bowl, then stuck a spoonful of the soup in his unprepared mouth. The green haired man glared at his partner, but knew the expression was weak since he was really charmed by the man's antics. When Galo smiled and laid back in the bed next to him, Lio leaned into the man, using the firefighter's presence to keep his head calm and leveled.

"We still need to name the mama." Galo commented as he ate his soup.

Lio rolled his eyes. "What about just 'Mama'? You seem to like calling her that."

Galo thought about it, then smirked. "Yeah… Yeah I like that."

Lio sighed and stuck a spoonful of his soup in Galo's mouth. "I thought you would." He smiled warmly at Galo's childish face, then turned back to his soup. "Thank you for taking care of me, Meathead."

Galo smirked and nodded his head. "Anytime, Moon Bug."

* * *

I chose the pet name Moon Bug because it's another word for firefly and I saw other people using "Firebug" and didn't want to steal it. I also like Moon Bug the reasoning Galo gave for it, since it shows he actually is capable of meaningful thoughts.

Hope ya'll like it.


End file.
